Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Part of 5. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 4:46 pm on 20 October 2021.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 4:46, 20 October 2021

Diolch yn fawr. Minister, as we've heard, staff and services at the Grange are obviously under tremendous pressure. You mentioned the context of the pandemic, and, of course, we now have the context of ongoing COVID incidents and infections and hospitalisations, worries about a very significant flu season this winter, all of the backlog of treatments that we know about, and, of course, a very difficult emergency care situation, and difficulties in discharging to social care because of the staff shortages and pressures that they're under. So, I think that all of that means that the existing situation, which is really worrying, could get considerably worse. So, I am very pleased that you are going to take an ongoing interest in monitoring the position, because, obviously, there are considerable fears over the pressure that is yet to come.

Also, you mentioned the more complex general medical needs, Minister, which were not considered the province of specialised care at the Grange. But we do have quite a complicated model, I think, don't we, where staff and patients are moving between four hospitals. In hospitals like the Royal Gwent, they have minor injuries units now, but not accident and emergency. So, they haven't got the diagnostics and the treatments that can deal with the more complex general medical conditions. So, with the new model and some of the uncertainties and some of the responses that you've mentioned to those issues in play, it really does require Welsh Government, I think, to work very closely with the health board to make sure that all of these problems are overcome. It is a major challenge.