Part of 3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 3:44 pm on 1 March 2017.
I have slightly certain different figures on the incidence. The incidence that I have is 6 per cent in first-time deliveries as opposed to 10 per cent, but I recognise that there is a significant proportion of women give birth who will suffer this particular injury. It’s partly about the conversations that should take place in good midwifery care about the preparation for birth and being fit and ready for birth but also recovery afterwards too. In the particular issue that you raise about the Cwm Taf application to the efficiency through technology fund, we allocate funds on a competitive basis, looking at the particular level of gain to be made from each application. And it is a simple truth that there are more good ideas and more ways in which we could usefully use that fund than the fund itself can provide. But the point that you make is actually about: I recognise it is NICE approved and it should normally be undertaken in specialist units. Where those specialist units are not available in the local hospital, it’s about making sure that there is access to them and each health board needs to make sure that there’s a proper network to do so. I will, though, given that you’ve raised a particular issue, undertake to go away and look at the particular issue within Cwm Taf and look at how that service is provided to women who give birth in Cwm Taf and how they’re able to access this part of their care after birth.