Health dominated today's FMQs, with questions on plenty of other matters too. It's going to be a busy week, with more on the Diamond Review, BBC Draft charter and Bovine TB in the next few posts....but there wasn't a mention of Brexit!
This makes for a happy Owen, even if I was expecting three leaders questions on it and preparing a rant. Said rant won't be required, but it has brought out my creative side. More on that later.
FMQs, 27th September 2016
Party LeadersConservative leader, Andrew RT Davies AM (Con, South Wales Central) kicked things off with a dig at Jeremy Corbyn's re-election, which he hoped would play a part in Labour's continued downfall.
On more serious matters, he welcomed and supports the launch of the Healthy Child programme – because major indices on child health haven't improved since 2007. He asked for more clarity on where the money's coming from and how many community nurses would be recruited by 2021. He also asked a similar question on Labour's target of 20,000 new social housing units by 2021.
The First Minister said the finances would be properly examined during the budget process, but his government will continue to work to ensure health inequalities gaps close, having risen due to benefit cuts. He dodged the question on social housing, saying the plans will be outlined by the relevant minister.
UKIP leader, Neil Hamilton AM (UKIP, Mid & West Wales) said a commitment to improve health and well being for all was still nothing more than an aspiration in some parts of Wales, particularly Blaenau Ffestiniog. There's no community hospital and patients face an 80-mile round trip to Ysbyty Gwynedd having experienced successive closures of clinics and services, and limited opening hours of the services that are available.
The First Minister outlined a commitment to investing in new health centres around Wales. He believed Neil was making a case for a district hospital in Blaenau Ffestiniog, but said people are willing to travel further to get a better service. He underlined that it's better that people don't go to hospital in the first place and get good primary care first.
Leader of the Opposition, Leanne Wood (Plaid, Rhondda), cited "appalling" figures that 1,174 children were waiting four months to access mental health services (CAMHS) – contesting the First Minister's assertion that waiting times had fallen – also that the mortality rate for 15-19 year olds hasn't reduced in 30 years. Cases of self-harm at Tonypandy Community College were extraordinary and something she doesn't believe is an isolated case – mainly due to economic and social conditions.
Leanne asked if the Welsh Government would establish a programme for pre-teens alongside the child health programme and investigate the role of mindfulness?
Carwyn believes that, despite increased investment, demand has simply exceeded supply. It was, however, right to say young people find themselves under a great deal of stress, and that's why counsellors are provided in secondary schools and why mindfulness was included in Labour's manifesto.
He expected CAMHS waiting times to come down, but reminded the chamber of the rhetoric during the Bridgend suicide cluster, where Bridgend was described as a "suicide capital" and the London press were seeking melodramatic quotes from local teenagers. Many of the suicides were a surprise to the families involved and came without any warning.
Backbenchers
Vikki Howells AM (Lab, Cynon Valley) asked about the Welsh Government's priorities for increasing the number of tourists. Today is World Tourism Day, and it's important to highlight what's on offer in all parts of Wales. Vikki cited unique events and attractions in her own constituency, asking how the south Wales Valleys offer is promoted and how attractions remain accessible.
The Welsh Government have a tourism strategy until 2020 and tourist spending has increased to £2.3billion a year. The Visit Wales website highlights events and includes a filter for disabled visitors to search for attractions accessible to them. Local authorities also have a responsibility to protect heritage buildings.
Caroline Jones AM (UKIP, South Wales West) asked for an outline on how the Welsh Government is helping the NHS prepare for winter. Last winter saw unprecedented levels of demand on unscheduled care due to an inability to access GPs. According to the Royal College of Nursing, hospitals are so full that the system can't cope with seasonal spikes in demand. How will the Welsh Government improve out-of-hours services and promote the use of pharmacies as a first port of call?
The Welsh Government continues to offer support through quarterly seasonal planning meetings. The Choose Well campaign has also being going for years to help people make better decisions; look to a pharmacist first, without defaulting to a GP or A&E. Carwyn believes health conditions themselves are what causes problems in winter, particularly the elderly with respiratory problems. He accepts it can be difficult to predict demand due to the weather, but the preparedness of each health board is scrutinised.
Best of the rest:
- Allied health and social care professionals are "unsung heroes" of the NHS, delivering preventative care to stop people being admitted to hospital. There are specific challenges with older people suffering from lots of smaller, chronic conditions that impact quality of life, and the role of pharmacies in particular will be set out in the forthcoming re-tabling of the Public Health Bill – to Huw Irranca-Davies AM (Lab, Ogmore).
- The First Minister provided an update on the next stage of the small business rate relief scheme, which will be extended for one year with a view to making it permanent from 2018. Over half of eligible businesses pay no rates at all, which is far more generous than England. He got into an argument on the attitude towards the scheme by Bridgend traders, saying there were "three different groups of traders, each of whom disagree with each other". He believes the biggest problem with empty premises is the "intransigence of landlords", who in Bridgend routinely offer 10-year, £25,000-a year rent contracts - to Suzy Davies AM (Con, South Wales West).
- Outlining what support had been offered to Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABMU) health board (which covers Bridgend) as a result of its increased intervention level (in cancer services and schedule care), the First Minister said they were working towards an agreement on what support they actually need. After the turnaround in Betsi Cadwaladr health board he was confident intervention can work, and there's already been a 78% reduction in the number of ABMU patients waiting for certain diagnostic tests in July 2016 compared to a year earlier – to Dai Lloyd AM (Plaid, South Wales West).
Written Question of the
There's still some catching up to do, but progress has been made compared to last week – they're up to questions tabled on 9th September now, so there'll be no abandonment which I'm sure you're all delighted about.
Janet Finch-Saunders AM (Con, Aberconwy) asked the Minister for Public Health & Social Services, Rebecca Evans (Lab, Gower), how she intends to press forward with support for grassroots football – in light of the Welsh men's team performance at Euro 2016 and the FAW's recent announcement of a £3million profit (see also: Change desperately required at the FAW).
The Minister replied - in an exemplary fashion when it comes to written questions – that the Welsh Government (via Sport Wales) provides around £1million annually for grassroots football, which is administered by the FAW Trust. The Trust has set specific ambitious targets to meet by 2024 including: 50% of young people playing football, 20,000 registered female players (+350%), an increase in ethnic minority representation and more weekly skills sessions in schools (as part of a sponsorship deal with Lidl).
There's also a national cross-sport programme to provide artificial/all-weather pitches, and the Welsh Government also provides a loan scheme for local authorities to refurbish sports facilities in their area.
Statement of Opinion of the Week
There's only one Statement of Opinion this week from Mohammad Asghar AM (Con, South Wales East) – attracting three signatures at time of posting - on the very, very, very, very important subject of flags outside the Senedd building. When the UK leaves the EU at some indeterminate point in the future there'll be no room for the Council of Europe/EU flag and he's calling for a consultation on suggestions.
To capture the zeitgeist, here's mine:
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I call it A bit of the old In-Out.
It's inspired by a Nordic cross and the old Prussian Imperial flag - which perfectly encapsulates the new welcoming, open-minded UK. To emphasise that welcome, the two hands (the successful Leave campaign) symbolise opening the door to new opportunities but are also pulling together for an exit, accepting the EU as a detached neighbour but on very friendly and familiar terms. The two half-circles resemble the seats of Strasbourg and Brussels, while the hemi-circular dome represents the seating arrangement of the European parliament symbolically turning its back on the UK as well as the euro symbol.
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