Angela Burns: Thank you for the answer, Minister. I trust this will be uncontroversial because, of course, this is an area that we all care about. We must look after these individuals who've served our country and are now turning to the state for support. I've got one constituent in his 30s who very much answers to that description of being a veteran: he's encountered a relationship breakdown, he's...
Angela Burns: 3. What support is the Welsh Government providing to veterans in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OAQ54844
Angela Burns: Thank you for that, although I have to say that your efforts to protect broadband speeds haven't been altogether successful. A report released by consumer group uSwitch last week reinforced the discrepancy between broadband speeds. For example, in Penffordd, the slowest average download speeds were recorded, which meant a two-hour Netflix HD film would take more than 11 hours to download....
Angela Burns: Those are my constituents.
Angela Burns: 7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to tackle the inequality in broadband speeds in west Wales? OAQ54837
Angela Burns: I'm very grateful to take part in this debate on the committee report. And the first thing, actually, I'd like to do is pay an enormous tribute to all of the district nurses and community nurses out there in Wales. I speak from personal experience when I say that, after the arrival of No. 1 daughter, it was the district nurse that helped me keep my sanity, because I certainly had no idea what...
Angela Burns: Thank you for that, but I would like to know how that really translates into action. Last weekend was the Pembroke castle Christmas fair, and it was a great event. Loads of people came into Pembroke to go to the Christmas fair, but as I walked back to my car, which was the other end of Pembroke high street, it really brought home to me yet again the death of that high street. When I first...
Angela Burns: 4. What initiatives does the Welsh Government have in place to improve the economy of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OAQ54788
Angela Burns: Good afternoon, Minister, and thank you for today's statement and for the advance sighting of it. I think there are some very good signs being shown in the 'Train. Work. Live.' campaign, and I especially welcome the efforts to improve the recruitment of young people and to increase the training places across all the healthcare professions. Now, one of the aims was to attract a more diverse...
Angela Burns: I must say, Mike Hedges, I think you've pretty much eviscerated the independence call on finances. Minister, I would like to address my contribution today to the need to increase any consequentials due to the NHS into the NHS, and not for them just to be absorbed by the Government. A common refrain from your benches, when any criticisms are raised of NHS failures, is that if you had more...
Angela Burns: Well, let's be clear—the five operational objectives that provide a framework for Cwm Taf's IMTP plan include: to improve the quality, safety and patient experience, and to provide strong governance and assurance. Now, Dai Lloyd has already raised the evidence that we had from the director of community mental health and primary care at Cwm Taf over Parc prison. We're not questioning the...
Angela Burns: Let's be clear: Cwm Taf was already struggling. There were reports from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales in 2015, which raised concerns about the quality of patient experience, the delivery of safe and effective care, and the quality of management and leadership. There was a report by the workforce and organisational development team in 2016, which identified significant issues, including the...
Angela Burns: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. As a result of serious concerns about the quality and safety of care within maternity services at Cwm Taf, you commissioned an investigation into the provision of those maternity services. You asked the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists to undertake the investigation. This they did in January of...
Angela Burns: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Welsh Conservatives are pleased to support the general principles of the Bill before us. However, there are areas that we would like to see either added to, amended or improved, and I'd like to touch on three specific areas. I'd like to start with the duty of quality. Minister, there does need to be more clarity as to how the provision of quality would...
Angela Burns: Of course, another challenge to the retention of dentists in Wales is the lack of support they're currently getting if they have stress-related illnesses. Now, this was highlighted by the British Dental Association. They've raised it as a significant issue amongst dentists that work in the NHS throughout the whole of the UK, not just in Wales. Now, in England, the Department of Health and...
Angela Burns: Yes, but my point was that you deleted it from the motion and yet I think that knowing that number is very, very key. Very, very quickly, actions on the recommendations made by the cross-party group is what we're seeking; a concerted drive to address the gaps in data collection, that the data collected is reported consistently and transparently—you've talked about the review of funding. I...
Angela Burns: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I'd like to thank everyone who's taken part in this debate today because, of course, it touches on a subject that will affect all of us at one point or another in our lives, whether it's, well, ourselves, obviously, our loved ones, our families, our friends. I do want to pay tribute to Mark Isherwood, because, as the chair of that cross-party group, he has...
Angela Burns: Would you take an intervention, Minister?
Angela Burns: Thank you for that comment, where you're going to write to—or you've written to—the health boards. But could I also draw your attention to the fact that a lot of hospice services provided in the community are currently being funded through clusters? And as you and I know, one of the principles behind a cluster is that the clusters use their funding to pilot and start up ideas. The...
Angela Burns: Would you take an intervention? You're most kind for taking the intervention, Helen Mary. I just wanted to draw to your attention, and I'm sure you will agree with me that, in fact, one of the big barriers is the postcode lottery that we see throughout our health boards, with many not prioritising this, so that—. People do want to die and have that support where they want be, and that 24...
