The Welsh health secretary will spell out her plans to tackle the crisis in the health service when she reports back to the National Assembly for the first time since the start of the flu outbreak.

Jane Hutt has said she intends leading a task force to look at the problems, but has admitted that the time for talking is over.

"The Assembly has got to deliver, not just receive a report on how things went,"she said.

"I am committed to making sure that we get on with it and have an action plan by the summer."

Over the holidays the health secretary has visited hospitals across Wales to get a first hand account of how hospitals have coped with a beds shortage that has been compounded by emergency admissions because of the flu outbreak.

Members of the Assembly, who return after the festive break, will hear Ms Hutt outline her plans for a taskforce to look at resouces and planning within the NHS.

On Monday the Government announced pay rises for doctors and nurses which were above the inflation rate.

But hospital unions, managers and health authorities are warning the Assembly that without more money the task force can do little to solve the long term problems.

Meanwhile Plaid Cymru is calling on Ms Hutt to explain how Wales will benefit from the government's pledge to invest more money in the health service.

Plaid's health spokesman, Dr Dai Lloyd AM, said that after Tony Blair gave his word that the Government would help the crisis in the UK, he wants to see similar action from Ms Hutt and the National Assembly.