On how many occasions did the Minister meet with representatives of health boards in Wales to assess what preparations were being made ahead of the junior doctors strike which commenced on 21 February 2024?
I have established a formal planning and response structure to provide me with assurance around industrial action preparations. Senior Welsh Government officials are fully engaged in these arrangements and provide me with detailed planning reports and the assurance required.
The planning and response structure also includes;
- Health Board Chief Operating Officers (and members of their teams)
- Health Board Medical Directors (and members of their teams)
- Health Board Workforce Directors (and members of their teams)
- Heads of Emergency Planning
- Representatives from NWSSP, HEIW, DHCW,
- NHS Employers
Meetings take place weekly with additional meetings as required in the period immediately preceding and during periods of industrial action. A formal lessons learned review is carried out at the end of any strike action to inform future planning requirements. The detailed planning groups have met 14 times to date.
In addition, my Executive Team receives weekly updates on the industrial action workforce and planning groups and escalation processes are in place.