Health Advice Services

Q1 Lorraine Barrett: Will the Minister make a statement on health advice services in Wales? OAQ(3)0740(HSS)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): Health advice about treatment and prevention is provided by all aspects of the national health service. A number of voluntary organisations provide advice to those patients with longer-term conditions and mental health problems. Healthy lifestyle advice is also available from various providers under the banner of Health Challenge Wales.

Lorraine Barrett: Thank you for your answer, Minister. You will be aware that 29 citizens’ advice bureaux deliver health advice service based on the Government’s Better Advice: Better Health programme to enable general practitioners to refer patients for advice on benefits and welfare to improve their quality of life. Will you assure me today that, regardless of any changes brought about by the community legal advice contract, that important service will be protected?

Edwina Hart: The Better Advice: Better Health programme has been first-class, because it has helped to improve the uptake of unclaimed benefits thereby improving the income levels of poor people and reducing the time that GPs spend on resolving non-medical inquiries. It has been a worthwhile service, which the Government will continue to support.