Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. First Minister, when there are lengthy waiting lists for treatment, private health companies give patients the opportunity to avoid those waiting times by paying a fee. Many constituents have informed me that they have been encouraged to consider paying to go private for treatment or swifter diagnosis. That means that treatment becomes something that is based on the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I would argue that it is increasing the role of privatisation. There's another form of creeping privatisation going on that I can point you to. Are you aware that under your watch there are plans to privatise more dialysis services in the north of Wales? And we're not talking here about the contracting of a company to do a particular job of work, say, tackling a backlog of elective surgery;...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I'll certainly send Betsi Cadwaladr's plans for the increased privatisation of dialysis to you. Those two examples are very, very different, but there's a common theme there, I think, of private companies playing an increasing role in healthcare, picking away at NHS services. I'm not really driven by ideology on this—at the end of the day, surely we want a better NHS for both patients and...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I would like to raise a point of order under Standing Order 13.9. The Data Protection Act 1998 says that no-one should use data in ways that have unjustified adverse effects on the individuals concerned, and that you should handle people's personal data only in ways that they would reasonably expect. We are all data controllers in our own offices here in the Assembly, of course. The...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the impact of travel costs on access to apprenticeships? OAQ51670
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I’m very enthusiastic for there to be far clearer communication with young people at 16 years of age that they should consider apprenticeships as an alternative option. A constituent contacted me recently who was also very supportive of apprenticeships, and both his sons are currently on apprenticeships at the moment. But, he is concerned about this barrier in terms of high travel costs for...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to be able to take part in this debate, which stems from the report on this petition. I wasn't a member of the committee when this petition was being considered, but I do know, from experience of discussing with constituents and with different bodies, the problems that do face disabled people as they try to use public transport. As it...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: ‘A lack of social connections can be linked to cardiovascular health risks and increased death rates, blood pressure, signs of ageing, symptoms of depression and risk of dementia. It could be as damaging to health as smoking and as strong a risk as obesity.’
Rhun ap Iorwerth: So, we're talking about something here that can have a very detrimental impact. Even though we have focused in that inquiry on older people, disabled people and young people were recognised as two other groups who are vulnerable in terms of isolation and loneliness, and we heard that transport can be a factor in that. We had evidence that the barrier of having to plan journeys beforehand...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's response to the Changing Places campaign?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on ambulance response times on Ynys Môn? OAQ51736
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response. Ambulances in the north-west, in Anglesey and across north Wales, I'm sure, have on their sides a large sticker for the FAST campaign, which relates to the Stroke Association campaign encouraging people to phone 999. The slogan is 'when strokes strike, act FAST'. Unfortunately, phoning quickly doesn’t lead to an ambulance arriving quickly. There are two recent...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you to the Cabinet Secretary for his statement. I will also note my thanks to the chief medical officer, Dr Frank Atherton, for his second report. It’s important, despite that, that I draw attention to the fact that we’re having a statement here today on this report, while in the past, including last year, we had debates on the report of the chief medical officer. I would encourage...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I think you're entirely right, Cabinet Secretary—there should be very little difference between anyone in this Chamber in terms of our aspiration to move towards a position where our health service is entirely digital, where systems work together for the benefit of patients. And yet, in the context of Brexit, people’s willingness to turn the clock back does make one think that some...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'Half of practices in Wales will be forced into changing their clinical system. Practices have not been consulted. Practices have not been given a reason. We're told that EMIS have failed to reach standards. What is apparent is that whoever made this decision has absolutely no idea of the upheaval this will cause practices who are already under pressure.' Now, I am very concerned about the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the importance to tourism of promoting indigenous place names? OAQ51723
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for that response. Place names, of course, are a part of our heritage. It’s important to celebrate them, but, more importantly, it’s important to use them. We all know of examples of names that have been changed. I heard this week about 'Sausage island' on Anglesey. That's Ynyslas. I hope that everyone will vote for one of the best beaches in Wales in the Countryfile...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I have been at the excellent Velindre Cancer Centre this morning and I'd like to thank the staff for leading the way in the fight against cancer there and send my best wishes to all of the patients that I saw in fighting their own personal battles. One of our number is battling at present—a young colleague. Our best wishes go to Steffan Lewis who's...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Our match against the Houses of Commons and Lords is the big annual match for the Assembly rugby team, held on the day of the Wales-England six nations fixture. I’ll be there, at Roslyn Park in London on Saturday, alongside a number of other Members, hopefully with all of you invited to play or to support. We’ll be there as Members, as support staff, as researchers, as security, and my...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It feels as if we’ve been discussing the M4 for a number of years. I gave quite a bit of attention to this as spokesperson for the economy before Adam, and this is a discussion that has gone on for a generation or more by now. There have been arguments about how to tackle the traffic jams around the Newport area; it’s been going on for almost a quarter of a century. I’m very happy to...
