Concerns have been raised over possible rises in emergency care

Welsh Health and Social Services Minister, Jane Hutt, is hosting talks at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

Delegates will evaluate measures put in place to deal with pressures over winter and emphasise the need for effective management at this time.

But opposition politicians have criticised the talks saying they should have been held before winter began.

"You would have expected the summit to take place in August or September to prepare people for the pressures of the winter," said Plaid Cymru Assembly Member and shadow health minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas.

It is a simple matter of more beds which could have been created by the minister overnight Rhodri Glyn Thomas Plaid AM

Mr Thomas also raised concerns about the problems the NHS is likely to face if there is a large rise in emergency cases.

"If it continues as it is people will suffer some people might die.

"We know that hospitals are telling us they don't have the capacity to deal with pressures."

"It is a simple matter of more beds which could have been created by the minister overnight."

Delegates from health bodies from across Wales will be at the summit.

One of the topics up for debate will be how the 22 new local health boards will adapt to the challenge of commissioning emergency services.

The issue of delays in transferring patients - so-called 'bed blocking' - is another major problem Ms Hutt's summit will need to grapple with.

Welsh Conservative Health spokesman, Jonathan Morgan, said it was not the numbers of beds that was the issue but how the beds were used.

Mr Morgan said Jane Hutt was reluctant to charge local authorities for delaying the transfer from acute to care homes sector.