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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:44 pm on 24 May 2022.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 3:44, 24 May 2022

This is a plan that highlights the key issues, the important issues, the challenges, of course, facing people with learning disabilities, their families and paid carers. I think it's fair to say it's hard to disagree with the aspirations, but where detail is lacking in elements of implementation, I think it's really important that we push Government for those details. One of the elements that are really important is real clarity on how progress is going to be monitored and evaluated. The Deputy Minister told us today that the ministerial advisory group will be monitoring delivery. I look forward to the progress report that the Deputy Minister is promising us before the end of the year, but I think we could do with more transparency about what it is exactly that we are measuring here so that we know what outcomes we are striving for.

On funding, we've had the announcement of the £3 million for delivery of health and social care actions. There are other elements of the plan for which there will be a need for substantial funding, and I think there are still gaps in what exactly those funding commitments are that we can expect from Welsh Government in order to fulfil the aspirations. Perhaps the Deputy Minister can give us more of an idea today of those elements of funding that, perhaps, Welsh Government is still trying to quantify, but at least give us an idea of the direction of travel that we might be headed in. And speaking of travel, transport only has one action in the plan, and accessing public transport as well as travel training is very important to people with a learning disability. Can I ask what plan is in place to improve the accessibility of transport for those with learning disabilities?

We have discussed on many occasions the importance of nurses within the healthcare workforce as a whole, of course. It's very concerning that this plan makes no reference to learning disability liaison nurses, who play such an important role. Is the Welsh Government reviewing that particular anomaly and what improvements are being made?

Perhaps a final general question relating to the pandemic. Of course, the pressure that the pandemic brought on services is well known. Many support structures were removed or reduced dramatically. Already challenging and complex caring situations were made worse, but we're talking now about returning to normal. Is Welsh Government also considering the likely longer term impacts of the pandemic, what they might be on people with learning disabilities, their families and carers and what steps might need to be taken and investment might need to be made to mitigate in the longer term?