Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:14 pm on 20 November 2019.
I agree with everything that Angela Burns has said. I think it isn't acceptable that people in some communities can have access to a service and people in other communities cannot. I don't think any of us would want a one-size-fits-all across the whole of Wales, because our communities and individuals need different things, but we do need to offer that variety of services.
I'd like to move on briefly to comment on point 4(d) in the original motion, which I support, about the need for a range of funding models, and to draw the Assembly's attention to the model used by the Tŷ Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli in my own region. I've been privileged to support the work of that hospice for many years. In fact, one of my first duties as an Assembly Member was to attend its opening and then to give the local health board a certain amount of pressure to make sure that they funded it properly. Now, in that model, the basic care, the nursing care, the medical care is provided and funded by the local health board. The hospice was built and has been refurbished and all the extra things that come with hospice care are provided by the charitable organisation, which has huge local support.
It's an innovative model, and I think it may be one that could be developed across Wales, and perhaps I'll ask the Minister to agree to take a look at that, and to commend that to other local health boards. It wouldn't work for all charitable hospices, because some of them would feel that that involved too much of a loss of their own autonomy and of the way that they want to provide services, but it is one way that I've seen, where the basic care that would otherwise be provided in a hospital, perhaps, is provided at a much better setting, but where the charitable model is then free to provide the extras, if you like, and not the basics.
Very briefly, just to end my contribution, if I may, Deputy Presiding Officer, to say we can't support the Government amendment. There has been some progress, but there is too much about reviewing and monitoring in it, and not enough action. The cross-party group has done an excellent piece of work. We have the evidence as to what needs to be done, and we need to get on with it. I'm sure that we can all agree with the aspiration for Wales to become the first compassionate country in this regard, but the question is how we fulfil that aspiration, and, to this end, I recommend to this Chamber our amendments 2 and 3 and the original motion. Thank you.