Angela Burns: 6. Minister, will you outline what plans the Welsh Government has to improve cancer diagnosis? OAQ54907
Angela Burns: As you will be well aware, at times, consensus is difficult to reach in this place. However, the NHS (Indemnities) (Wales) Bill is a piece of legislation that has earned cross-party approval, and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Welsh Conservatives during the final stage of this Bill. I'd like to extend my thanks to the Minister for the work that he and his...
Angela Burns: Good afternoon, Minister. I do welcome the statement. It's good to see the 14 projects that have been funded, and I'll be very interested to see how the other £11 million is finally deployed. I'd just like to pick up on a couple of points. Regarding the final funding round, could you clarify whether you'll be targeting applications from any specific health board area, or will you be looking...
Angela Burns: I just wanted to clarify one thing. I do understand that not all coastal towns are in need of that kind of support. But, like we do in much of the rest of Wales, you can actually have a fund and say what the eligibility criteria are. And you make the point about the Valleys towns, but a very clear report: 'Their location on the periphery of the country places them on the periphery of the...
Angela Burns: I know. Finally, let me briefly touch on the importance of marketing our towns and communities better. I've already mentioned the Iron Man event that takes place in Tenby. We should be looking much more at destination marketing; that is something that really sits well with market towns and seaside towns. In short, we have a lot of towns with unique and varied histories. They tend to be in...
Angela Burns: I'd like to focus my contribution today on the challenges that face seaside and market towns, of which I have many in my constituency, and explore what options there are to help with the regeneration of such communities throughout the whole of Wales. I will be addressing your issue in a moment, Mark Reckless, if you are prepared to bear with me. Minister, as we know, across Wales, we are...
Angela Burns: Wow, where to start? We talk about the word 'safety', which has been used a couple of times, but let's be clear, the beds in Hywel Dda—the operations have been cancelled because the orthopaedic ward at Prince Philip Hospital has been closed to orthopaedic, to elective surgery, and they're putting medical cases in there. That takes care of an enormous number of the problems with the elective...
Angela Burns: Minister, as you'll be aware, over recent years, south Pembrokeshire and Tenby in particular have become synonymous in the triathlon community with hosting the Ironman Wales event—one of the toughest sporting challenges in the Ironman calendar. Every September, thousands of people descend on the area to compete in the competition, which offers qualification slots for the world championship...
Angela Burns: Yes, of course.
Angela Burns: Thank you for that and, of course, the £25 million for Glangwili is extremely welcome. But, actually, I'm seeking clarity today from you regarding the budget allocation provided to maintain and update the NHS estate. It's not very clear in the overview where and how that capital funding could be deployed. I have a number of GP surgeries in my area that are not really fit for purpose anymore....
Angela Burns: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on the impact of the Welsh Government's budget on the people of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OAQ54881
Angela Burns: 8. What plans does the Welsh Government have to build on the legacy of major sporting events held in Wales? OAQ54882
Angela Burns: Thank you for that, Helen Mary. I think that that sounds like a very interesting comment that you've just made, and I would be very interested in discussing that further with you, because we do need to find a solution to this. You've got one way of resolving this issue, we've come up with another way, I'm sure that Labour—somewhere—have got another way, and maybe that's something that we...
Angela Burns: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Thank you. The draft budget has announced an increase of more than £400 million into the health and social care budget for 2020-1, which I obviously welcome. Given this means that there is a total investment of some £8.7 billion in health and social care, which is almost half of the Welsh budget, therefore it is even more vital that this money is held...
Angela Burns: Trefnydd, can I please ask for a statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services on the delivery by health boards of elective surgery over winter months? Not just elective surgery, but actually an update on how they're managing winter pressures. It's not just Hywel Dda, we've got pressures at Betsi and we've got pressures in Cwm Taf. And I think we have to say—because we're here...
Angela Burns: First Minister, yesterday, you confidently claimed at a press conference that plans for hospitals and health boards to cope with pressures for the winter period were holding up. You even highlighted that your Government had provided £30 million—very welcome—earlier than ever in the year to help health boards prepare for winter. However, I think within about half an hour of your press...
Angela Burns: 8. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's priorities for the health service over the next twelve months? OAQ54880
Angela Burns: Thank you. I just feel that you might be being a tad sensitive on this, because I don't recall anybody's contribution particularly saying that the Welsh Government weren't doing plans to improve retention. I think what we're trying to say is that there is such a shortfall in nurses that what more can we do, how else can we actually improve this and keep the nurses we've got, as well as...
Angela Burns: I'd like to thank the Members who have brought forward this debate today, because I think it is extremely timely. I think it is worth rehearsing just a couple of the facts: that every week, nurses in Wales give the NHS extra hours to the value of 976 full-time nurses. If you say it quickly, it doesn't mean that much, but actually, if you slow it down and really think about it, you're talking...
Angela Burns: Like Helen Mary, I welcome the drive to build more affordable homes in Carmarthenshire, but I just wanted to discuss with you the issue of distribution. Because I looked at the map of where they've built homes in the last few years and where they're intending to build many of these homes, and I wonder if you could give us an outline on what guidance you give to county councils to ensure that...
