The Cabinet Secretary will be aware of the difficulties that a lot of patients in the Rhymney valley and throughout the south-east are having in getting doctors' appointments in those surgeries that are being run by eHarley Street. This private company is running surgeries in Bargoed, Gelligaer, Brynmawr, Tredegar and many others, and patients are finding it almost impossible to get those appointments, but when they do get to the doctors' surgery, waiting rooms are almost empty. Now, we know, and it has been raised in the Chamber a number of times, that doctors haven't been paid by eHarley Street; they are owed thousands of pounds, and, as a result, many doctors are refusing to work more shifts in those surgeries, and that means that patients aren't getting the care that they deserve.

I've raised concerns in the Chamber for many weeks about this, and about clinical governance as well, doctors’ pay, and the pressure that's being put on nurses in those surgeries. Everyone seems to be agreeing that something is very badly wrong here, but nobody yet seems to be promising exactly what is needed in order to ensure that this improves in those surgeries and that it doesn't get repeated. Could you tell us, please, what conversations you've had with the health board about this, and could you assure the Chamber that you will do everything in your power to ensure that patients start getting the care again that they deserve to get?