Caroline Jones: Thank you, First Minister. Of course, while there has been some progress in improving access, there is one area in which we are still performing badly, and that is the emergency response times. Over recess, I was contacted by a constituent whose elderly parent suffered a stroke. But, after waiting over an hour and a half for an ambulance, they gave up and drove to A&E themselves. Now, this...
Caroline Jones: 5. What actions are the Welsh Government taking to improve access to healthcare for patients in South Wales West? OAQ54644
Caroline Jones: I thank David Melding for bringing forward this debate and for publishing his 10-point plan for tackling homelessness. I support any moves to improve the way we tackle homelessness and will work positively with any Government to ensure no person is left without the most basic human right of all: the right to a roof over each and every person's head, and a suitable one at that. It's a right...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for that answer, Minister. Of course, one of the biggest hurdles to increasing vaccination rates is the rise of online misinformation and, as you mentioned, the anti-vax movement. When celebrities and so-called experts are spreading myths and indeed telling lies about vaccines on Facebook and Twitter, it makes the job of Public Health Wales so much harder. Minister, what discussions...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, we are, once again, battling an outbreak of measles and mumps amongst university students. Around 30 suspected cases of mumps have hit students at Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the University of South Wales. This follows the loss of the UK's measles-free status earlier this year, just three years after we were rid of one of the world's most...
Caroline Jones: She loves you too, Alun.
Caroline Jones: Certainly.
Caroline Jones: Thank you very much, Nick. The Welsh Government must get over its reticence to instruct local government, for the sake of the thousands of disabled people let down by the implementation of the blue badge scheme in Wales. The Welsh Government must accept all the committee's recommendations. We must ensure the blue badge scheme application process is fair, swift and efficient. The application...
Caroline Jones: I thank the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee for their report on the blue badge scheme in Wales. I want to place on record my thanks to the clerks and all those who gave evidence during the inquiry into the eligibility and implementation of the blue badge scheme in Wales. I joined the committee towards the end of the inquiry, so I would like also to express my thanks to...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Minister. I too would like to thank all the staff in the NHS who work under difficult conditions to carry out their duties. In order to ensure our NHS survives the long-term challenges it is facing, we need to implement long-term planning in health and social care, and planning that has to date, I'm sorry to say, been piecemeal. Proper planning doesn't just mean...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Minister. I welcome the introduction of this Bill and I feel that it is long overdue, as many GPs have been put off following their career path, and this large amount of money for insurance can only be seen as a positive regarding recruitment and retention of GPs. Something had to be done in this area, and this is a very good start towards recruitment and...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Minister. The fact that anyone is homeless in the twenty-first century in Britain is morally reprehensible. Successive Governments, both here and at Westminster, have failed to ensure sufficient high-quality housing to meet demand. And even though Governments now accept they need to do more, they are still not doing enough. Meeting demand requires forward...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Minister, and your earlier written statement. May I too offer my condolences to all those families affected? I welcome the steps being taken to make maternity services in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board safe, but there must be accountability, because families have suffered unimaginable grief. The fact that, as the independent review states, there is a...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your answer, Deputy Minister. Last week, we debated giving prisoners the vote, which I opposed and was criticised for. My point in that debate was that we should be focusing on rehabilitation and support, and far too many ex-offenders are released without housing or any support mechanism according to their needs, which often relate to mental health issues. Deputy Minister, do...
Caroline Jones: 3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to protect the human rights of Welsh people in the criminal justice system? OAQ54486
Caroline Jones: We have seen big strides in the use of the language in the wider world in recent times, particularly in technology, and we have Welsh language versions of many software platforms, open-source projects seeking to bring the language to voice assistance, and learning platforms such as Duolingo allowing us to learn on the go. Utilising this technological change will enable us to encourage far...
Caroline Jones: We have seen major progress in the use of the Welsh language recently, particularly in terms of technology.
Caroline Jones: Thank you to the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee for their report on supporting and promoting the Welsh language. Although I won’t make my entire contribution through the medium of Welsh, I am passionate about the value of the Welsh language; it's worth keeping alive.
Caroline Jones: I welcome the measured approach taken by the committee and the fact that the Welsh Government have accepted in full or in principle all 14 recommendations. I believe the position taken by the committee and Welsh Ministers is an acceptance that the carrot is far more effective than the stick. The Welsh language is a vital part of our shared heritage and culture. The fact that less than one in...
Caroline Jones: I thank the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for the report on dentistry in Wales. NHS dentistry in Wales is in crisis. Less than one in five practices in Wales are taking on new adult patients, and just over a quarter of practices are offering appointments to new child patients. We regularly learn of patients making round trips of 100 miles to see a dentist. It's not unusual to see...
