4. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Services: The Learning Disability Action Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:00 pm on 24 May 2022.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 4:00, 24 May 2022

I'd like to thank the Deputy Minister for all the direct work and involvement she's had with people who have learning disabilities, and also advocates on their behalf. I know she's held meetings across Wales with such people.

The question I've got is regarding the point she makes about joined-up services between education, health and social care, and particularly how the action plan is going to address what I called in the debate last week the pinball effect, when you bounce between health, social care and education. It can lead to you waiting longer than maybe—. You might have a short wait for a healthcare worker, but then that cumulative effect means you're waiting a long time for the end result. I'd like to ask how that will be considered in the action plan, whether there may be ways of alleviating and whether, perhaps, parallel processes to reduce those waiting times might be an effective measure. At this point in time, I'd only want the Minister's opinion on that.