Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I am responsible, but I'll tell you what, it hasn't helped that, actually, I have people now working in the NHS who, as a direct result—a direct result—of Liz Truss's Government, who didn't last very long, have their mortgages going up—[Interruption.] Their mortgages are going up, and that's your fault and your problem, and you've got to take responsibility for that.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Yes, thanks. And I think it's really important that people understand all the background that's gone into this. So, what you can't do is, week after week, come and tell me, 'You need to do this, that, and the other to improve efficiency'. We get an independent group in to take a really good look at efficiencies—how do we get more out of the system? The independent review looks at the...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, I can assure you that it's not just your constituent who's asking questions; I'm asking questions very, very consistently of the ambulance service in Wales. I met them on Monday, or yesterday, just to go through the detail of their performance. The irony is that they're actually getting to more people than they've ever got to before. So, actually, in terms of performance, their...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Ambulance response times across Wales are not where they should be, but performance against the national target for red calls in the Aneurin Bevan health board area was the best in Wales in September. A national plan is in place to drive ambulance improvement, supported by £3 million of Welsh Government funding.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much, Altaf. I probably spend as much time on the delayed transfers of care, as you've pointed out, as anything else. There are blockages all along the system, we know that, but this is a particular blockage. I have regular meetings with local authorities—I had one yesterday—to really look at what we can deliver in this area. It's hard now, but winter is coming, and we've...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much, and thanks for your interest in what I think is a really important programme. Because we're in a cost-of-living crisis, this is the time when we really need to be wrapping our arms around people who may be under a lot of pressure. We have an opportunity in the health service to make every contact count, and that's part of what we're doing here with this particular programme....
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: The Hospital to a Healthier Home service in Bridgend has supported positive outcomes for service users. It has helped to reduce the number of bed days used at the Princess of Wales Hospital through supporting timely discharge, and has supported vulnerable people to maximise their incomes through access to relevant benefits.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: NHS staffing levels in North Wales are now at record levels, but we recognise that there are workforce challenges alongside significant demand pressures on services.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I had £170 million to clear the backlog, and now I've had an additional bill for £207 million for the cost of energy. I've had a little bit of money to cover that from the UK Government, but nothing like what is needed. So, that means we have to find cuts from within the NHS. That is your doing. That is your doing, and you have not come to the rescue. Go and speak to your political masters...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. The cost-of-living crisis, as Joyce has pointed out, is hitting everybody, but it's hitting nurses as well as other people, and it's really depressing to hear of nurses going to foodbanks and other places. That is, really, a very difficult situation. And what we have seen, as you pointed out, is a huge increase in energy costs, a huge increase in food costs, and now, as you...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much, Jenny. Certainly, we're always keen to work in social partnership. Obviously, I haven't had a chance to digest what is happening in Aneurin Bevan and why they perhaps have taken a slightly different route. My understanding is that they didn't reach the threshold of the numbers of people to participate, but I haven't seen the exact breakdown, so I'll look forward to...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, I won't be lectured by a Tory on how to deal with the NHS. I will not be lectured by a Tory. And the shadow of Nye Bevan—absolutely, I feel a real responsibility to make sure that we provide the best possible service for the people of Wales. And that does mean keeping our nursing friends and our colleagues safe in the NHS, and making sure that they are happy in their workplace. And we...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Can I be clear that we have been recruiting to the workforce in Wales, in terms of nurses, for several years? We've seen a 69 per cent increase in the number of nurse training places in Wales since 2016. The challenge, as you mentioned, is retention, and we understand that. These nurses have been under incredible pressure, in particular during COVID. We understand that that...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: —some extremely difficult cuts that would have to be made elsewhere in the health budget. And that is an extremely difficult—. If he wants to give me some ideas of exactly where he thinks we should cut to pay for this, I'm all ears. Now, I want to make clear that, in Wales, we work in social partnership. I meet very regularly with the RCN. We have a conversation, which is ongoing. We of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thanks very much. Can I just be absolutely clear that, without additional funding from the UK Tory Government, it will be impossible, within the current health and social care budget, to provide the kind of inflation pay rise for the NHS without facing—
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I've just heard that the required turnout threshold has been reached for the Royal College of Nursing members balloted in all NHS employer organisations in Wales, with the exception of Aneurin Bevan health board, and in each of these, a simple majority mandate for strike action has been achieved. So, just to be clear, in Wales, RCN member nurses have voted for strike action everywhere with...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I want to turn now to the other elements I mentioned. The stroke quality statement was published in September 2021. It sets out 20 quality benchmarks for stroke services. In June 2022, the chief executives of the health boards supported the establishment of a national stroke programme board, which will build on the work of the stroke action group. It will also ensure consistency in terms of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I shall.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: So, my point absolutely stands, which is that there is no hard-and-fast rule for strokes, neither in England nor in Wales. So, the McClelland review, which prompted the change to the clinical model response highlighted that the Welsh ambulance service has been subject to more reviews than any other part of the NHS in Wales and that this scrutiny contributes to the issues that the...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Firstly, I want to thank the Conservatives for bringing this important issue to the Chamber today, and all Members who've contributed to the debate. I've listened carefully to all speakers, and there have been many important points made. Stroke, as Mark Isherwood stated, is the fourth leading cause of death in Wales, and has a significant long-term impact on the...
