Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: It is important now that we increase the capacity of the health service, that we prioritise diagnosis and treatment, that we transform the way that we provide elective care, and it's also important that we provide better information and support for people. We have allocated additional millions of pounds to ensure that we see theatres and additional resources for endoscopy, and that is already...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I have regular meetings with health board chairs and vice chairs to discuss the planning and delivery of services. Primary care services across the whole of Wales are working hard to respond to increased pressure from patient demand.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: The six goals for urgent and emergency care programme set clear expectations for delivery of more sustainable, safer and effective urgent and emergency care. Betsi Cadwaladr UHB will receive an additional £3m annually to deliver its local six goals programme, to help improve the outcomes and experience of patients who access emergency care, including in Emergency Departments.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I expect local health boards, as joint commissioners of ambulance services, to work with the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust to understand local challenges and agree collaborative actions to ensure patients within their communities receive a safe and timely response, through a whole system approach, ensuring ambulance crews are available to respond when needed.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I move the motion before us. Since the 14 April review, we've been reviewing the health data very closely to monitor any rise in figures due to an increase in social mixing over the Easter holidays. I'm pleased to announce that COVID-related hospitalisations have decreased over recent weeks. The latest results from the ONS coronavirus infection survey suggest that one...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: As well as this legal requirement to wear a facial covering in public areas within health and social care settings, the current guidance for preventing COVID-19 infection also advises strongly that staff should continue to wear gloves, masks and aprons when providing personal care directly. Eye equipment should also be worn when providing personal care to people if COVID-19 has been confirmed...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr. Well, the Chief Medical Officer for Wales has been supportive of this point. I think he supports this move because he believes that, whilst the rates are still very high—so, one in 35 is still reasonably high, and, of course, this measure was taken when we were at a point when it was about one in 20, which was very high, in the community—then he is very keen to make sure...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. This is a disappointing report, and the failings in care that have been noted are unacceptable. The health board has confirmed to us that stringent arrangements are in place. We expect the health board to work with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales to accelerate improvements, and we will continue to provide support in order to enable change.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I'm absolutely clear that this is not acceptable. The situation is—
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: If you let me finish—it's not acceptable. As soon as I heard there was an issue, I went to spend the whole day in the hospital just to see for myself what was going on and to see the pressures they were under. And I can tell you that I met some staff who had to stop because they were, frankly, in tears because of the pressure they were under. Of course we need to stand by those staff and we...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: If you think that restructuring is going to be the answer at this point in time—
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Restructuring at this point in time is not the answer. We will have a tripartite meeting in June and that will provide recommendations to me on the appropriate level of escalation. I have asked to make sure that my officials are ready for any eventuality that comes from that tripartite meeting, and we have different methods now of making sure that we can support and intervene in the most...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I'm going to try and calm things down here a little bit, and let's try and get a little bit more constructive. Now, HIW have said exactly what needs to be done in this situation. They've said—they've listed what needs to be done. The response wasn't what it should have been when they went back in; now there has a been response from the health board. So, let me tell you what they are...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, of course, Glan Clwyd, along with other accident and emergency departments, are seeing a massive increase in demand, some of which has come as a result of people not presenting themselves during the pandemic and now coming forward. But the situation in Glan Clwyd is worse than in other hospitals, which is why we do need to make sure we shine a light on Glan Clwyd—and...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, certainly we have seen massive pressure in Glan Clwyd, and it's one of the reasons why, as soon as I saw the first report, I made a beeline for the hospital and spent the day in the hospital, not just a quick visit, but I actually spent time with people on the front line in ED, just watching the kind of pressure they were under, and I can tell you that the pressure was...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Well, I would agree with you, Carolyn, that I think that to think about reorganisation in the middle of the pandemic, when we have the longest waiting lists in history, would be a distraction. I think it's really important that we focus on what matters to people, and what they want is to be treated well and to make sure that they get seen in a very timely manner. I think...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Formally.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Many thanks for allowing me to reply to this opposition debate around women's health, which I know most people in the Chamber are aware is an issue that I'm passionate about addressing, and it's great to see that there is absolute consensus on the issue, if not on the motion itself. Now, women, as we know, make up just over half of our population and account for 47...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Of course.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Absolutely. I think there is an injustice that has been going on for way too long, and the very fact that women are not in trials, that there's a disproportionate amount of money invested in certain research areas rather than others—it's women who lose out almost every time. That has got to be something that we address. It is a social justice issue, absolutely. In 2019, the Royal College of...
