Vaughan Gething: This isn’t a question of being in denial, and there’s a challenge for us about how we talk about health and social care in a grown-up manner in this Chamber, and how we understand what we need to do to improve outcomes for people receiving care and improve—not just increase the number—the way that the workforce is organised. I’m really pleased to recognise initiatives that doctors...
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for the question and for highlighting the issue. I understand that the company is called Doctaly and it’s operating around the London area, but they’re looking to expand. I absolutely share your sentiment—I don’t think that this has any place in the health service here in Wales. It would not be something that we would fund or encourage here in Wales. We believe in a...
Vaughan Gething: I think that those are completely fair and reasonable points to make. We recognise that the older model may work for some people, but there are different doctors with different priorities—a change in the workforce and a change in what people want to do. For example, it isn’t just that there are more women who are doctors—actually, men who are doctors want to spend more time with their...
Vaughan Gething: Yes. Our ‘Informed Health and Care’ strategy for Wales is our long-term vision for implementing new ways of delivering care by exploiting digital technologies, including telemedicine, to improve patients’ health and well-being.
Vaughan Gething: I thank you for the question and the particular point that you raised. We recognise there’s great potential in telehealth for the future and we think it’s a good way of providing specialist services to people to make sure people get care closer to home. Often, you don’t need to travel, and that’s a big part of the advantage, and we’ve seen it in the mid Wales collaborative. On the...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, I’m very happy to recognise that, and I’m glad that someone has noted the launch of the 111 service. It’s been developed on the back of what worked and what didn’t work in England as well by a project group here in Wales. I’m really pleased to recognise the real buy-in from the ambulance service trust, from secondary care, but also from GPs and primary care health professionals...
Vaughan Gething: When I look at developments for telemedicine and telehealth, I don’t simply divide it up in terms of those particular budget lines. We look at what we can do and what infrastructure we need to make sure that people can access that service. For example, in eye care, you have a particular need for cameras, whereas if you’re talking about the access to talking therapies, then it’s a...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. The Welsh Government continues to work with the Aneurin Bevan university health board and other partners to provide the people of Torfaen with high-quality health services that deliver the best possible outcomes for the people of Torfaen.
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for the question, and I do recognise that she has persistently and consistently raised this issue in this Chamber for more than one term, as well as in the meetings that I have been happy to have with you and a range of other Gwent constituency members who have taken up the issue with you. I said in health committee that I recognise there is a need for certainty, that I...
Vaughan Gething: It’s important to understand the views of people who use a service, both in terms of what works and what doesn’t work as well; it’s an important part of service improvement. So, we do need to listen to the voice of the service user to understand what doesn’t work. You grouped together those people who found that the service was average, as well as less than average too. So, I...
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government is committed to improving the provision of the neuroendocrine tumour services in Wales. The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee has carried out a thorough review of south Wales services and is now working to implement improvements.
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. In north Wales, people access a specialist service in Liverpool and there isn’t a particular issue about access. The challenge here in south Wales is how—. There is the ability, for people who wish to, to access services in England while we’re working on a model here. It is a specialist service and it’s a relatively rare indication. The challenge has been...
Vaughan Gething: On the particular part of neuroendocrine tumours, we do have a path forward where there is clinical leadership and a recognition of what we need to do. We’re awaiting the outcome from the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee. I think you’re asking a much broader question about cancer services in general. Of course, I indicated yesterday—I’m not sure if you were back at the...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cwm Taf university health boards are working together on primary care services in Pencoed and Llanharan. They’re putting in place a joint working party to look at new ways to better meet local need.
Vaughan Gething: Yes. The Welsh Government was made aware of this situation by Betsi Cadwaladr university health board last week. I’ve been assured that the health board has taken action to ensure patient safety, and an investigation into the allegations has begun.
Vaughan Gething: I don’t think it is helpful to refer back to the particular events at Tawel Fan as a catch-all to try and beat the service across the piece in north Wales. There is a serious allegation that has been made about patient care, and I’m pleased, actually, that that member of staff felt able to raise that issue. The health board acted properly and appropriately. I think that’s an indication...
Vaughan Gething: Part of the challenge in dealing with a particular issue is that I think we’ve got a responsibility not to speak as if those fears are facts. The action that has been taken has been entirely appropriate in that they suspended staff as a neutral act to allow an investigation to take place. There will be an external person from outside Betsi Cadwaladr undertaking that investigation, and that...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. The report on the investigation won’t be for me, it will be for the health board, but I would expect they will make sure that Assembly Members are briefed. In fact, Assembly Members were briefed on this particular issue, and, again, it is to the credit of the health board—they were proactive in telling people about the problem, rather than waiting for it to...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. In July, Members will recall that I presented the Welsh Government’s draft of the second delivery plan in support of our 10-year cross-government strategy, ‘Together for Mental Health’. I launched the finalised delivery plan yesterday to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The 2016-19 delivery plan sets out 10 priority areas for service...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the three questions. I’ll be happy to respond. I’ll take first your question about carers. In fact, of course, we talk about carers throughout the range of our different strategies and not just in this one too. They’re specifically mentioned in part of priority area 4, but that isn’t the only one of the 10 priority areas where carers are relevant. I would reference back...
