Jenny Randerson AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Health and Social Care, spent last Thursday meeting health and social care providers in the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency just two days after Edwina Hart announced a fundamental shake up of the NHS in Wales on behalf of the Labour-Plaid Government.
Accompanied by John Gossage, the local PPC, she met the chief executive of the newly-merged NHS Trust, Mr. Martin Turner, in Carmarthen.
In separate meetings, the two Welsh Liberal Democrats also met with Jane Slade, of Age Concern Pembrokeshire, Kate Ashley, of Pembrokeshire Care Limited, and with the chair, vice-chair and chief officer of Pembrokeshire Community Health Council (Christine Roberts, Gary Hicks and Ashley Warlow).
In addition to discussing the restructuring of health services, these discussions covered issues such as carer support, delayed discharges from hospital, palliative care, local authority procurement, full cost recovery and the role of the regulators.
Both Jenny and John were impressed by the radical restructuring undertaken by Age Concern Pembrokeshire to shift from a project to an outcomes led approach.
In the evening, Jenny Randerson addressed local party members and answered their questions.