Suzy Davies: Leader of the house, you probably picked up some of the media coverage today about the Older People's Commissioner for Wales's concerns about the experience of people living in care homes, some years after her original recommendations. And, while she was making some very positive remarks about the legislation that has been brought in since then and also the parliamentary review into health...
Suzy Davies: May I thank the Minister for bringing the review to the Chamber today?
Suzy Davies: It's a pretty punchy review, I think, although its recommendations, I think, need to be considered alongside the conclusions of the group chaired by Justin Albert on the possible shape of Historic Wales and, of course, your recent decision that Cadw would remain wholly in Government. I just want to speak very briefly about that part of the report that refers to the industrial dispute that...
Suzy Davies: I think part of the purpose of the Thurley review was to see how the museum sector—well, certainly the national museum sector as a whole—could raise more of its income so that that balance between public funding and non-government funding would change.
Suzy Davies: Well, I didn't quite say that.
Suzy Davies: Can I begin by thanking the committee for conducting this inquiry? I think it's a very valuable examination of progress and obstacles identified to date. As Members in the Swansea bay city region will know, we’ve had an absolute devil of a time trying to get the shadow board to meet with us for a briefing session on progress. I tend to agree with Jenny and Vikki Howells, bearing in mind...
Suzy Davies: Well, it's a slim document. Andrew R. T. Davies has already given us a pretty good exposition of what could have gone in there, but it's still taken until page 4 for Welsh Government to admit that this strategy represents a significant change. I have to ask, has it really taken 19 years to reach the conclusion that significant change is necessary? Welsh Conservatives have been asking you...
Suzy Davies: Yes, very quickly, then.
Suzy Davies: Well, what about private enterprise? There's more than one option. That's the point I'm making here. What I'm seeing in this Government is that one option is the only way at the moment. I just wanted to finish off briefly on the tourism tax because, actually, that's a bed tax, a visitor bed tax. And I don't think it's—. If you're attempting to attract business to Wales, I don't think...
Suzy Davies: Can I thank you? Diolch, hefyd, Siân. You made very powerful points today, particularly regarding violence against women and obviously the attitude towards unwanted attention. Sometimes, things like this really do come to the boil, and what I would like to see come to the boil now is how society values strengths that are traditionally—and I mean, stereotypically, almost—attributed to...
Suzy Davies: First Minister, we've recently as an Assembly passed legislation, or secondary legislation, brought forward by your Government, allowing care workers who've been on zero-hour contracts for more than three months to transfer to minimum hours contract if they choose to do so. A year or so ago, I would say, Bridgend County Borough Council had 344 members of staff all on zero-hour contracts,...
Suzy Davies: Leader of the house, this question has come up on a number of different occasions without a clear response. Would it be possible to have confirmation of the publication date for the Welsh standards in health?
Suzy Davies: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on work to improve the resilience of GP out-of-hours services?
Suzy Davies: Well, I'm more than happy to cite Amy Dillwyn from my region as a dead role model—that's not always the most useful role model, though. One of the recommendations from the 'Talented Women for a Successful Wales' report is that we should find imaginative initiatives to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage girls and boys to consider non-traditional occupations. When do you expect to...
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, Social Care Wales has been leading the way in producing a new set of qualifications for care workers. And as well as simplifying the system, this is an opportunity to respond to some new issues that aren't reflected in existing qualifications. There's more public awareness, for example, about sepsis, and while care workers are likely to receive some...
Suzy Davies: Thank you for that answer. That was my point, really, because I'm aware, of course, that hospital workers get this training, but social care workers don't necessarily. And that's why I'd like to see it mainstreamed in the curriculum for the qualifications. Moving on to something else now, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed to me in a written answer—last year it was—that the money that Welsh...
Suzy Davies: Thank you for that answer. You'll be aware, of course, that the Public Accounts Committee was talking a little bit about this on Monday. They heard evidence about how the average working life of a social worker is less than eight years, while, by comparison, a nurse could be expected to work for 16 years and a doctor 25. While that means that new social workers are constantly needing to be...
Suzy Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for responding to this today. I’ve tabled this particular debate as a step in what I hope will be a successful campaign. It’s a chance for Members to begin considering whether what I’m about to talk about would be a useful, practical and reasonable step towards equality in their constituencies and regions, and it’s a chance for...
Suzy Davies: The petitioners have given an indication of what information the scores should be able to convey. I have some ideas to add to that, which I’ll come to in a few moments, but they suggest that to achieve a 5 rating, a premises will not just need to be wheelchair accessible, but be fully inclusive for those with visual and hearing impairments, and staff understanding of those with learning...
Suzy Davies: Now, for those practicalities. The first point to make is that there are sporadic examples of this idea in practice already, thanks to organisations like NAS Cymru and the Alzheimer's Society. Brecon is a dementia-friendly town, Milford Haven is an autism-friendly town, both titles being predicated primarily on awareness training. Some of our major stores and theatres have introduced quiet...
