Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: So, about 45 per cent of the patients who receive NHS dental treatment at the moment are exempt from patient charges as it is, and then, when patients are charged, if you look at how much they’re charged in Wales compared to England, on band 1, people are charged £14.70 in Wales while, in England, it’s £23.80; on band 2, it's £47 in Wales, £65.20 in England. So, we recognise that,...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Look, I accept that everything is not perfect. I accept that there is a huge way to go in this very difficult area. But, as I reiterate, we do not employ these people directly. They are independent practitioners, and we have to convince them to come with us on the journey. Now, it is true to say that COVID has impacted the work that they were able to do before. They're not back to what they...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. I recognise that there are individual circumstances, and there are 20 of those that we have to consider, and that's why they've gone. But, as I say, what happens is that you don't lose the NHS dental appointments there; they are re-tendered, they go to somebody else. Now, what I recognise is that that may mean that people aren’t able to access what used to be in their...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, I’m on a mission with this, so I’m really keen to see this. This is something that I’ve very much tried to drive forward. What I’m keen to do is to make sure that we have at least a six-month roll-out of the programme and see how that goes, and then, obviously, we’ll have to look at the evaluation. But what was beneficial in Blaenau Ffestiniog is that,...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you. Well, the fact is that these dentists have already delivered to a great extent. What I asked was that they shift from seeing people who have healthy mouths and seeing them regularly, as was the case in the past—. Around 60 per cent people have healthy teeth, and they, according to NICE, don’t need to see a dentist more than once every two years. Now, that's what the NICE...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr, Jane. I acknowledge there's a two-tier system. I've made that absolutely clear. There always has been. And in an ideal world, I would love it if we could get to a system where everybody was able to access an NHS dentist. But, actually, it's very difficult to find dentists. That's the first thing. We're about to start a new campaign to see if we can attract more dentists from...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, you'll be aware that in Aneurin Bevan we've seen 24,500 new NHS patients being seen as a result of the new contract. The course of treatment undertaken, obviously, is something that I think we just need to make sure we've got that in the right place, and in terms of consultation, there has been very significant consultation. As I say, they've seen a copy of what is...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, we are making efforts to recruit new dentists, and to be honest, Brexit didn't help the situation, and certainly I know a lot of eastern European dentists went home, following Brexit. Just in terms of the issue about paying for dental treatment, I think it's really important to note that there are exemptions for people who can't afford to pay, and I can set out what...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, one of the things we're seeking to do, and Cefin will be aware of just how difficult it is to recruit people to rural Wales in the field of dentistry, and that does create greater issues in rural areas than it does in some of our more urban areas, perhaps, and that's why there are additional problems, I think, that we see in our region. I am certainly aware that Llandeilo is one of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Heledd. Well, I think it is clear that those amongst the 140,000 who received an opportunity to have treatment for the first time in a long time, and those opportunities are available—we're paying for those. So, the contract ensures that there is an opportunity for them to receive the help that they need. So, if they are eligible for dentistry free of charge, then they will...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks, Jenny. Well, I'm really excited about this new approach. I think this is something that I hope will work in Blaenau Ffestiniog. If we find that it does work, then obviously what we'll try and do is to target those areas of deprivation as a priority, to make sure that those people, perhaps, who haven't been in a situation where they've been able to access dentistry for a long time, and...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Llywydd, it's not an easy job being health Minister after a pandemic when waiting lists went soaring everywhere and Tory austerity left our public services fragile and our older sicker and poorer population were left more desperate than ever. But I'm committed to delivering the best possible health service for the people of Wales, and I'm determined to support our health and care staff, who...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Today, he's desperately trying to persuade us that he didn't knowingly mislead MPs over all those lockdown parties at No. 10. This technique, calling for a no-confidence vote, has become a desperate act of distraction by opposition parties incapable of standing up for the people of Wales. You ask for accountability; here I am today, as I am every week. And let me be clear: you won't see the...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: No, I'm not giving way. I'd like to take this opportunity to address some of the false rhetoric being bandied about by the Conservatives today—that we voted to cut spending on the NHS. Many years ago, yes, we redistributed health funding to social care, and anyone who knows anything about health knows the absolute necessity of considering both these services together. And I need to put them...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Being Minister for health after a pandemic is very difficult work, particularly when the resources aren't available after years of austerity as a result of the actions of the Conservatives. I have taken decisive action in terms of intervening in Betsi Cadwaladr health board, and I'm not going to follow the Plaid Cymru suggestion to restructure and to hold a public inquiry that will cost...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Every day, I ask myself if I can continue to do this thankless job. But every day, I realise that I've got something to offer, and that is that I care. I want to provide the best possible health and care service for the people of Wales. I want our Welsh NHS to succeed. Llywydd, it's going to be my privilege to remain as health Minister for as long as I have the support and confidence of the...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I am pleased to provide an update on our programme for government commitment to delivering better access to doctors, nurses, dentists and other health professionals in primary care services. At the outset, I think it is important to acknowledge that the demand for primary care services outstrips capacity, which undoubtedly provides a challenge in terms...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: In optometry, we are already expanding clinically focused provision in primary care. That's being done by moving the delivery of some eye-care services from hospitals to the community, where there is a skilled workforce with the capacity to meet increasing demand. Before some aspects of the reform can come into force, some changes will need to be made to regulations, and, of course, we will...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr. You'll know that, in relation to access to GPs, we've done a huge amount of work on that over the past few years. In fact, we had some access standards set out, and I'm pleased to say that 89 per cent of GP surgeries are already achieving the access standards that we set out. Those access standards include a commitment to make sure that what is offered by GP surgeries, for...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. I think it's important for us to consider what access means to people and what their direct experiences are, so thanks for recognising that that research is ongoing. I think that perhaps we do need to help people to understand that what has happened historically in terms of having access to GPs isn't necessarily the way that things will work in the future, partly because...
