​Written Assembly Questions tabled on 13 June 2016 for answer on 20 June 2016

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W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

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Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Do you have any strategy in place to generate a greater awareness of arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, particularly with a focus on prevention and early intervention? (WAQ70395)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister outline any plans to foster more timely access to treatments for arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions? (WAQ70396)

Answer received on 21 June 2016

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething):
Through the national primary care plan and the service and development directive for arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions we continue to raise awareness and support people to reduce their risk of these conditions and, where they do occur, to assess, diagnose and provide ongoing care as locally and as quickly as possible. We plan to refresh the directive later this year.
The national primary care fund is supporting the development of integrated multi professional teams in the community employing additional physiotherapists. People can access this service directly without waiting to be referred by a GP. This will also enable those patients who need to be seen in secondary care to be seen more quickly.