Vaughan Gething: Well, as I said in my response to the Member and, indeed, to his previous question before the new year break, we recognise in particular in Hywel Dda that there’s been a need to improve on where they are. There is something there, as I said, about making sure that specialist practice is undertaken in the service and that they are actually more effective and more efficient in turning round...
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for the comments. I think we need to be clear about what we’re talking about, because there’s a challenge of whether people continue to see a police cell as a place of safety, and that is not the view this Government takes, or the police force, or the health service. There’s actually much improved work that’s been undertaken between NHS Wales and police forces...
Vaughan Gething: It’s no surprise to me that mental health reasons are a significant cause of workplace absence. From my previous time outside this place, as well as within it, I would be surprised if that were not the case. Our challenge is: how do we recognise it and the issues about stress within the workplace? We have specific programmes of activity, working with employers, and the awards we give about...
Vaughan Gething: Well, you’ll know from the budget that this place passed that we’ve seen a significant additional resource go into mental health. It’s the largest area of spend within the health service budget, and that came from the sensible and mature conversation that took place between this Government and Plaid Cymru and others. Now, that’s meant that we are continuing to prioritise mental health...
Vaughan Gething: I think that’s a very odd way to try and pose a question about a serious issue for the health service and for everyone who works within it. This is a real and serious issue for people who require care, in particular during the winter period, when we know that more older people are more likely to need admission into a hospital for care, and more older people need support in their own home....
Vaughan Gething: I don’t think it would actually be helpful to try and say that we’ll start to collect data for GP waiting times and appointments. You’d need to construct a significant system to do so, and I’m not at all persuaded that that would be the right thing to do to improve patient access. We have a range of different ways of trying to look at improving patient access, including, actually,...
Vaughan Gething: Well, I think it’s a pretty cheap shot to say that I claim achievement for the health service without there being data or evidence to support it. I recognise what you say about perception, but I don’t think championing perception over evidence is a particularly helpful thing for the opposition spokesperson to do. I take seriously the older person’s commissioner’s report, and I’ve...
Vaughan Gething: I expect all patients, whether in planned or unscheduled care, to be seen and treated in a timely manner based on clinical need. Some orthopaedic waits in particular are not acceptable, as I have already made clear. I expect to see improvement in this year’s March figures, with further improvement in the year ahead.
Vaughan Gething: To be fair, the follow-up question that you asked the First Minister wasn’t specifically about hip waiting times, so you got a response about general orthopaedic action. There is a challenge here about hips within the orthopaedic waiting times that the health board are experiencing. On the Ysbyty Glan Clwyd site, it’s where they see the most complex patients, and, actually, they are the...
Vaughan Gething: I thank you for recognising the success of the app, both in terms of how user-friendly it is but also its usefulness to people seeking to access unscheduled care in particular. This isn’t a particular issue about the cost in developing the app from now, and actually spreading it out; it’s actually about understanding enough time and enough evidence about the value of it. And, actually,...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. Emergency departments in South Wales West have continued to experience significant pressure and demand throughout this winter. Members will, of course, recall that this is part of the reason why Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board is in targeted intervention, because of the lack of sustained progress on unscheduled care. There has been some...
Vaughan Gething: I’m not able to tell you today the sort of data that you’re asking—. I think it’s a fairly complex exercise to undertake. I’ll see if it is possible to do, but to be able to say whether it’s been a challenge to the district nursing service that’s led to an admission that’s led to a challenge in waiting times, I think is some ask, regardless of the identity of the Minister, or...
Vaughan Gething: I recently visited Moriston Hospital to have a presentation, on a range of different topics, actually, but during the visit, I took the opportunity to go into the emergency department. And it was really interesting to see, at that time, that I think they recognise that some of their own internal workings of the system has improved, but also they now think they have a better relationship both...
Vaughan Gething: And those are part of the challenges that I’ve put to the health board and within the service. And it is the case that people do talk to each other across the service. Emergency department consultants talk to each other, and lead nurses talk to each other about practice within their departments. So, there is a genuine attempt to share learning. But you’re right—the Heath has a...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. The Welsh Government has invested £1.2 million in providing Skype for Business for the NHS. Consultations can be undertaken with this technology when the patient and the health professional are content, although there may be instances when the health professional may need to undertake a face-to-face consultation or physical examination following a consultation.
Vaughan Gething: I recognise the challenge that you put and it’s part of our informed healthcare digital plan for the future. We expect more people to be able to routinely use remote access and remote consultation with the healthcare profession, in both primary care and also in secondary care. I certainly wouldn’t want to give the impression that none of this had taken place. Some of that can be done by...
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for the question. All maternity services in Wales work in collaboration with both physiotherapist and specialist continence services. These services provide assessment and identify continence problems with referral to specialist continence services for treatment and individualised care planning.
Vaughan Gething: I have slightly certain different figures on the incidence. The incidence that I have is 6 per cent in first-time deliveries as opposed to 10 per cent, but I recognise that there is a significant proportion of women give birth who will suffer this particular injury. It’s partly about the conversations that should take place in good midwifery care about the preparation for birth and being...
Vaughan Gething: We have adopted a broad approach to preventing avoidable harms and achieving our aspirations for a healthy Wales through legislation, programmes and working across policy areas. We are making real progress in areas such as reducing teenage pregnancies and in smoking rates. Progress in tackling obesity remains a key priority.
Vaughan Gething: I would encourage everyone to choose the right service for their needs. The new Cwm Taf UHB website explains what NHS services are available in the Cynon Valley and includes a link to the Choose Well website and the NHS Direct Wales symptom checker.
