Vaughan Gething: This has been part of the very sensible and constructive conversation that we've had: how do we make sure that there is a genuine patient voice, a citizen voice, across health and social care? How is that organised in a practical way to take on board the parts that have been successful within our system and to deal with some of the challenges that no-one suggests have worked well? Part of the...
Vaughan Gething: Dealing with your second point first about the broader planning process, of course it's a conversation across the Government about our planning system, and the way in which, when new residential properties in particular are created, there's an impact on wider services, such as the health service, which is an obvious one, and with schools being another one and transport being obvious parts...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you. I expect health boards in South Wales West to provide safe and effective primary out-of-hours services to respond to urgent healthcare needs when GP surgeries are closed. In South Wales West, that point of contact and access is now the 111 service.
Vaughan Gething: I think the Member comes to the point about the future of local healthcare. It goes back to some of the questions that we touched on earlier on. Trying to run the current system that we have is a recipe for failure for the future and there was a very clear message in the review for all of us to take on board. In this Chamber, we've had a number of conversations about the future of local...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, and I think that's the point: if needed, and who is the right healthcare professional. Part of the success of 111 has been the fact that most of the system that was introduced in England was actually a group of non-clinical call handlers with an algorithm—a script to go through. Often that was rather more cautious and ended up directing people into accident and emergency departments...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for bringing your copy again. The national framework sets out a process for the NHS, working together with local authority partners, to assess health needs, decide on eligibility for continuing NHS healthcare and commission and provide appropriate care for adults in a consistent manner across Wales. It is currently subject to review.
Vaughan Gething: I think that it's a fair point. Following on from the question you asked the First Minister—and I recognise the point you made about social services buy-in—we'll need buy-in from health and social care into both parts, in particular not just around transition, but actually just getting the system right. So, in reviewing that, we do expect partners and other stakeholders to be involved,...
Vaughan Gething: I do understand the concern that's being raised, and I'm sure that, as with other Members, I've had constituents approach me in my local Member capacity with some concerns about the process in the past. It is my understanding that there's been a significant improvement in dealing with that backlog of claims, to try and resolve them, and I have received assurance that health boards have...
Vaughan Gething: Yes. The Welsh Government is committed to improving neuroendocrine tumour services. The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee commissions care for patients in north Wales, and is working with health boards to implement the recommendations of its service review for south Wales to look at how patients can be better supported.
Vaughan Gething: Well, let me start by recognising the achievement of the Member's constituent, Janet Lewis. I'm always pleased to hear of yet another healthcare professional in Wales being recognised by her profession for excellence and achievement. It does say something about the fact that we are improving a range of our services here in Wales, which is not always recognised in other parts of the United...
Vaughan Gething: This comes back to one of our challenges. I would always like it to be the case that we could have a screening programme that was effective in terms of the value that we get from it, in terms of money and also the outcomes and helping us to identify people early. But part of our difficulty in this area is that there isn't a full understanding of what causes neuroendocrine tumours. As with...
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government directly funds a number of national organisations, services, programmes and settings-based approaches aiming to prevent ill health. These include smoking cessation services, immunisation programmes and healthy schools and workplace programmes.
Vaughan Gething: There are a couple of specific things to talk about, apart from the generality, or the £600,000 of funding that goes through Sport Wales to Newport for core funding services and the Community Chest funding services. You'll be aware that the well-being bond is a manifesto of commitment and it's in 'Prosperity for All', the national strategy. I'll be making an announcement on that in the...
Vaughan Gething: I think we should think again about some of the language that the Member has used: you said that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than tobacco. That does not mean that they're not, themselves, harmful; it's about the balance in harm. And it's also about a recognition that we don't always understand what goes into an e-cigarette. We had this debate in this term with the public...
Vaughan Gething: You raised this yesterday with the First Minister, of course, and he made clear that the figures take no account of age, deprivation or ill health. I'll refer you back to his comments: 'Now, the particular measure reported involved small numbers and it's consequently not age adjusted. Age is likely to be the main reason why this figure seems high, not least reflecting that Conwy has the...
Vaughan Gething: I have absolutely no intent of being bounced into an intemperate course of action by shouting and language that is deliberately fearful from the Member opposite. Sadly, he has form in this area. Suggesting that there is complacency in the Government is simply not true. Just because I choose to remain calm and not engage in a shouting match, it's not because I do not care about the service and...
Vaughan Gething: And I really do think that the Member should take account also of the fact that within our system here in Wales, we are the only UK country—[Interruption.]
Vaughan Gething: We are the only UK country that has a full review of every death that takes place within hospital. There is already learning that deliberately takes place from deaths within hospital. I expect them to have an open and learning culture within our health service, to have a proper commitment to improving the quality and improving outcomes for people. If we are to work in a system where any...
Vaughan Gething: I'll quote from the publication itself: 'The following chart shows the number of deaths per 10,000 attendances for each major Emergency Department (A&E). It should be emphasised the figures reported are a crude mortality, and unlike deaths elsewhere in the hospital, no attempt is made to "standardise". As such there is no accommodation for factors such as age and severity of illness, factors...
Vaughan Gething: Well, no-one could fail to recognise the grief that you clearly feel about the loss of your father. And I really am sorry for your loss. My job, in undertaking this role on behalf of the people of Wales, is to look at how we improve services across the system, to understand how individual examples can be used to learn from, and that's the way in which we set out quality improvement within...
