4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services: Services Fit for the Future White Paper

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:28 pm on 27 February 2018.

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Photo of Caroline Jones Caroline Jones UKIP 4:28, 27 February 2018

Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. Like many of the respondents to the consultation paper, I am generally supportive of the intent behind your White Paper. I fully support the intention to introduce a legal duty of candour that will extend to other parts of the health and social care system, the same codes of conduct that apply to doctors and nurses. This will also ensure that Wales is in line with other parts of the UK. So, Cabinet Secretary, do you anticipate that the duty of candour will apply to everyone working in health and social care in Wales? Doctors, nurses and midwives are trained to abide by the GMC's good medical practice guidelines. What guidance and training will be made to NHS managers and social care managers to ensure that they abide by the principles of being open and honest with patients? Can you expand further upon what sanctions could be imposed for any breach of the new duty? I would also be grateful if you could outline the timeline for the proposed introduction of the new legislation. With regard to replacing the CHCs, whilst I support this in principle, any replacement must strengthen the patient voice and not dilute it. I accept that not all CHCs were effective, but there were some very good examples that fought for patients' voices and rights. Whatever the form of the new national arrangement, it is important that we don't lose these patient champions. So, can you assure us, Cabinet Secretary, that this new national arrangement to represent the citizen's voice will not only be comprised of mainly citizens but also truly independent from Welsh Government?

Finally, Cabinet Secretary, I welcome the decision not to proceed with the merger of HIW and CIW. We have to first develop a consistent approach to inspection and ensure that the changes introduced by the RISC Act are given time to bed in before we seek organisational change. We have to ensure that both organisations work closely together in future and we have to ensure that there are no regulatory gaps. When can we expect to see legislation to address these gaps, Cabinet Secretary?

Thank you once again for your statement. I look forward to your proposed legislation and working with you to ensure that our health and social care systems have the needs of the patient at the forefront. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr.