Edwina Hart MBE AM

Edwina Hart has been the Gower's AM since the first Assembly election in 1999.

Having served as Minister for Finance and Local Government (2000-2003) and Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration (2003-2007), Edwina was appointed to the Health and Social Services portfolio in May 2007.

Writing to Ministers

Contact Edwina Hart by email at: correspondence.edwina.hart@wales.gsi.gov.uk

We aim to provide a response to correspondence to Ministers, including electronic mail within 17 working days. 

The Health and Social Services portfolio includes the following:

• All aspects of the National Health Service (NHS) in Wales, including contracts with the  primary care contractor professionals, other than (i) oversight of the medical professions; (ii) policy on surrogacy, xenotransplantation, embryology and human genetics; and (iii) licensing of medicines (these matters are not devolved);
• Charges for NHS services, including prescription, dental and ophthalmic and optical charges;
• The provision of services in Wales to the mentally ill;
• All aspects of public health and health protection  in Wales, including food safety and the fluoridation of drinking water;
• The regulation of poisons;
• The activities of the Food Standards Agency in Wales;
• Genetically-modified food (but not the cultivation of genetically-modified crops - this is for the Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development);
• Oversight of the Wales Audit Office`s activities so far as relating to the National Health Service in Wales;
• Policy on care in the community;
• Policy on the provision of social services for children and its oversight;
• Adoption and fostering services in Wales, but not adoption of children by UK residents abroad;
• Oversight of all other social services activities of local authorities in Wales   including the issuing of statutory guidance;
• Oversight of the Care Council for Wales (which is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body (AGSB));
• Regulation of residential, domiciliary ,adult  placements, foster care, under 8`s care provision and private healthcare in Wales;
• Research and Development in health and social care;
• Receiving and responding to reports from, the Care and Social  Services  Inspectorate for Wales and the Health Care Inspectorate for Wales; directing specific inspections when required;
• Inspection of, and reporting on, the provision of social services by local authorities in Wales (via the Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales), including joint reviews of social services;
• Cross cutting responsibility for health improvement and older people and carers;
• The inspection and enforcement of the Medicine Act 1968 in Wales;
• Older’s People Commissioner for Wales;
• Oversight of the Wales Centre for Health;
• Responsibility for the Prison Service health service, other than private contracts;
• Youth Justice;
• The Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS);
• Supervised Child Contact Centres;
• Support the First Minister on issues relating to the Civil Contingencies Act;
• Liaison point for the Armed Forces in Wales and Veterans.