‘Shared sense of accountability’ needed within the NHS, says Eluned Morgan

• Eluned Morgan spoke to Rob Osborne for ITV Wales' Sharp End

First Minister Eluned Morgan says health boards must take their share of responsibility for the state of the Health Service.

She said there is a need to "share a sense of accountability" within the NHS.

Speaking to ITV Wales' Sharp End programme following her first First Minister's Questions in the Senedd, she discussed health, her priorities going forward, and her predecessor Vaughan Gething.

"We've got to take our share of responsibility in the Welsh government, there's no question about that," Ms Morgan said.

"Every single week, as health minister, I was taking responsibility for the NHS, but I think it's important that people recognise that you delegate responsibility to the health boards, and you ask them to deliver for you.

"I think there is a massive responsibility on people who are paid a significant amount of money to deliver for the people in their communities.

"It's definitely about money, but also I think it's important that we recognise that change will have to come to the NHS as well."

The former health minister has put the NHS amongst her four priorities, which include a healthier Wales, green jobs and growth, opportunities for every family, and connecting communities.

She said "having the priorities tells you effectively where you're going to focus your efforts, but also there are implications because at some point we'll have to de-prioritise in other areas in order to focus on these .

'We've learnt that the issues that matter to people in Wales are the bread and butter issues that touch their lives everyday."

The first minister spent the summer engaging in what she calls a 'listening exercise.'

As she was not elected as first minister by the public or from her party, she says she carried out the listening exercise precisely "because [she] didn't have the opportunity to put a proposed programme to the members of [her] party."

"I thought I would take advantage of the situation and go directly to the public, ask them what their priorities are and shape the government around the people's priorities," she said.

"One of the things I'm very keen to do is ensure that I have a direct connection with the public, particularly from people whose voices aren't always heard, and one of the things I did during that exercise was to go out, raw, unfiltered, connection with the public, and it was amazing to see the response up and down Wales to that new approach.

"We're going on the course the public set for us, the public set those four priorities that I've outlined, they're not my priority's they're the people's priorities."

These are priorities she says "every member" of her government were asked to agree to before they were invited to government.

"They all came in on the condition that they sign up to and understand them," she said.

One person who was not included in Eluned Morgan's cabinet was former first minister Vaughan Gething.

She defended this decision, saying: "Vaughan made it clear that he was stepping down, not just from government, but from the Senedd at the next election.

"He made it clear to me that he didn't want to be a part of the next government and that was fine."

She added that, despite some of the divisions during Mr Gething's tenure, Labour is a united party.

"I think we've come through a rough patch, but there's a genuine feeling of ambition, and togetherness, and it's not something that people expected, but I can tell you there was a real sense of unity in the Labour group this morning," she said.

Responding to questions about the winter fuel allowance, Ms Morgan did not say whether she supported cuts to winter fuel payments.

"I don't think anybody in the Labour Party is comfortable with the fact that this amount of money is being taken from pensioners," she said.

"It's a difficult decision that's been made by the Starmer Government. I'm afraid that we're in a position where difficult decisions are going to have to be made.

"What I can tell you is that we in the Welsh Government have been making strenuous efforts to make sure that those who are eligible for winter fuel payments apply for it."

You can catch up on Sharp End and the full interview with Eluned Morgan here.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...