3. What urgent action is the Welsh Government taking to support mental health in South Wales West? OQ59311

I thank the Member for that question, Llywydd. Significant and sustained funding by the Welsh Government supports mental health services in South Wales West, from the expansion of direct access tier 0 and tier 1 interventions to specialist services, for example in eating disorders and psychosis.

Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. I'm sure you noticed that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales last week published an extensive report into Cwm Taf Morgannwg's discharge arrangements from adult in-patient mental health units. I'm pleased to see the majority of practices were adequate at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, although administrative issues were identified. However, alarmingly, HIW found issues at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, specifically for patients admitted from Bridgend, including a lack of co-ordinated discharges. In particular, there was an absence of communication between the in-patient unit and the Bridgend community mental health team, including not inviting Bridgend staff to contribute to ward rounds so they could help inform discharge planning, and team staff being unable to access important patient information. This actually led to patients being discharged from the hospital with no notice to the local team. Furthermore, pressures on the availability of beds have led staff to bring forward planned patient discharges. Although these were for patients deemed safe to discharge, there was insufficient time to communicate all relevant information to community teams. Staff were also frustrated by the amendment of discharge plans without communication or agreement between all teams. Two patients discharged from Royal Glamorgan had significant safety concerns including self-harm and harm to others. That report was published last week, First Minister, and provided 40 recommendations to the board. We are yet to hear from the health Minister in this Senedd about it. Given that Cwm Taf is still in targeted intervention because of maternity services and that Betsi Cadwaladr has been placed into special measures, what urgent action is your Government taking to ensure that no patient comes to harm as a result of poor discharge practices?

I think the Member will find that the report was actually published on 7 March, rather than last week. The health board, under the rules that are agreed with HIW, have four weeks in which to provide assurance to HIW that the concerning issues, and I agree with the Member that the issues that were identified are of concern—. There will be four weeks for the health board to provide assurances to HIW that a plan is in place to deal with them. The Minister has already directed the NHS delivery unit to meet monthly with the board, once that assurance plan is published, to make sure that it is supervised in the implementation of it. The reply of the health board will first of all need to be scrutinised to make sure that it does measure up to the issues that were set out in the HIW report. Once we are satisfied that that action plan is adequate to the task, then a monthly review of it by the delivery unit will provide the Minister with the assurances that she will need that it is being properly put into place.