Freedom Central » health

Welsh Labour Government is failing our NHS

Kirsty Williams — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:05:42 +0000

I have great concerns over statistics released earlier this week that show Government targets for A&E departments are still not being met.

Official figures for December show that 7,974 patients spent more than the Government’s targeted four hour waiting time in A&E departments. The Welsh Government also has a target for 99% of patients waiting no more than eight hours – this target was also missed.

The Welsh Labour Government needs to get its act together with regards to our Accident and Emergency departments. The December statistics have confirmed our worst fears that not a single A&E department hit their desired target for 2011. The end of year assessment is that Welsh Labour is failing our NHS and are doing very little about it. One has to question what is the point of these Government set targets if they are consistently not achieved. I can only imagine how demoralising it must be for NHS staff who work incredibly hard to provide the people of Wales with the very best health service possible, but are not given the tools to do it.

From December 2011, the Welsh Government changed the guidance on how A&E departments would record their waiting times. The Statistics Department have indicated that that these changes should lead to a small increase in the percentage waiting less than four and eight hours in A&E departments. Cardiff and Vale University and Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health boards did not implement the change to the guidance, therefore the actual all Wales figures is likely to be slightly worse than the 89% and 97% figures given.

It is absolutely essential that all Local Health Boards use the same reporting techniques if we are to get a true picture of the exact state of our NHS services. I understand that December was the first month of the changes, but LHBs must ensure that they stick to the exact guidance given, otherwise these vital statistics will be made pointless.

“Unattractive” NHS services problem for medical recruitment

Kirsty Williams — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:43:11 +0000

The Medical Director of NHS Wales, Dr. Chris Jones, admitted in the National Assembly’s Health Committee yesterday that one of the reasons for low recruitment levels to the Welsh NHS was down to poor services.

Responding to questions on low junior doctor recruitment levels prompted by myself, the NHS Medical Director said that “some of our services are intrinsically unattractive”

A number of small hospital and Minor Injury Units across Wales have had to close recently due to staff shortages and the BMA recently stated that there are around 400 vacant doctor posts in Wales as a whole.

From the numerous temporary hospital closures we’ve seen across Wales recently, it is evident that the NHS in Wales has a difficulty in recruiting junior doctors and senior clinicians. This is not good enough for our NHS. It is affecting service delivery and patient safety.

As the Health Minister was stating that immigration was a major problem for recruitment in Wales, the Medical Director, who was sat to her right, very honestly said that services in Wales were intrinsically unattractive for potential junior doctors.

I have been calling on the Health Minister and the First Minister for a long time for them to speed up the launch of their recruitment campaign. I am glad that she stated that a recruitment campaign will be launched next Wednesday. However, given the Health Minister’s lack of information and vagueness on the details of the campaign when answering questions to the Health Committee, I am very concerned that this recruitment campaign is going to be a ‘paper launch’ with little benefit for the people and patients of Wales.

We should trial US healthcare project that preaches prevention is better than cure

Kirsty Williams — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:21:34 +0000

New Year’s resolutions can be difficult to keep – I know from experience and I suspect quite a high percentage of people fall by the wayside early on in their determination to stop smoking, drink less, watch what they eat or get off the sofa and go for a stroll.

However we can all, at any time during the year, change our habits for a healthier lifestyle.

According to numerous and worrying statistics, it seems that Wales is in desperate need of a New Year’s resolution that won’t be broken.

The financial burden of obesity and alcohol to our NHS is £140m a year and, astoundingly, the cost of smoking to the NHS is around £360m. At a time when the budgets are seriously constrained, this is a cost that we could most certainly do without.

However, while we must keep an eye on budgets, what is most pressing is the effect obesity, smoking and alcohol is having on the quality and length of our lives.

The statistics are stark:

One in five adults in Wales is classed as obese and 57% as overweight or obese. Wales also has some of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the world – 16% of two to 16-year-olds are classed as obese;

Smoking is the greatest preventable cause of illness, disability and premature death in Wales and it accounts for more than 5,600 deaths a year;

Alcohol is a major preventable cause of death and illness in Wales but around 1,000 deaths are attributable to excessive alcohol consumption per year in Wales.

When considering statistics like this, what’s striking is the strong correlation between high chronic disease rates and low socioeconomic status.

Lifestyles of people in different parts of Wales – often a couple of miles apart – can lead to as much as a 19-year gap in life expectancy.

Cwm Taf Health Board, which covers many deprived communities, has a higher death rate from respiratory disease than the average. In the same health board, the death rate due to alcoholic liver disease is increasing.

It is evident this is more than a health issue – this is a serious social justice issue.

To be fair to the Welsh NHS, it has been talking about the old adage that “prevention is better than cure” for a long time. However I don’t think this mantra is always at the forefront of planning and delivery.

In 2002, when Jane Hutt was Health Minister, it was like a New Year resolution when she announced resources would be concentrated on preventing people from having to use the NHS in the first place.

This was all very admirable until other parts of the NHS were suffering, causing negative headlines in the media. Cue a broken resolution and the emphasis shifted back to treating people in hospitals, rather than sticking to the resolution and preventing people from going into hospital in the first place.

In the most deprived areas of Wales, I want the Health Minister to trial a radical programme of healthcare, successfully developed in New Jersey, in the US. It is based around a network of doctors, nurses and social workers who will work with the neediest patients in their area to reduce regular (costly) hospital visits and improve those patients’ access to more appropriate, and less costly, treatment. Not only could this improve the standard of life for the patients involved, it could also ease the pressure on our NHS services.

If the Welsh Government is serious about preventing rather than curing, any strategy must be for the long term.

As we all know with New Year resolutions, you don’t see the benefits of losing weight in just a few weeks.

“Prevention is better than a cure” should be a long-term commitment that will hopefully reap many rewards.

Welsh Government must demonstrate greater responsibility for performance of Local Health Boards

Aled Roberts — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:36:50 +0000

I am very concerned at the number of changes that have recently happened at Betsi Cadwaladr Local Health Board without proper consultation.

AMs were alerted by Betsi Cadwaladr LHB that “action must be taken to consolidate our services so that we can continue to work safely and effectively.” Since then, Betsi Cadwaladr LHB has undertaken a series of in-year changes to service revision that will affect service provision without adequate consultation.

In December, Betsi Cadwaladr LHB announced a number of closures across North Wales which included minor injury units at Ruthin Community Hospital, Ysbyty Bryn Beryl, Colwyn Bay and Flint. The reasons given for the closures were problems with staff recruitment and sickness, together with budgetary pressures that the Health Board was under. I have already raised the issue with the Health Board and with the Community Health Council, who held a joint meeting last week. I shall be raising the issue with the First Minister today, and I also intend to take part in the debate in the Senedd on tomorrow which calls for added transparency within our Health Boards.

There is not only a need for transparency, but also for true accountability given that the Health Board, in its announcement, indicated that these closures could continue until 31st March 2012. It is essential that the Welsh Government demonstrates greater responsibility for the performance of the Local Health Boards, rather than hiding behind them.

‘Welsh government is failing patients and staff’

Kirsty Williams — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:25:28 +0000

I am deeply spoken of her disappointed regarding patient waiting times in Wales.

By the end of November, a total of 386,977 patients were waiting for the start of their treatment. Of those patients waiting for treatment, 23,329 patients had been waiting between 26 and 36 weeks, and 7,629 had been waiting more than 36 weeks.

The Welsh government’s target is for 95% of a patients to be waiting less than 26 weeks and 100% of patients to be treated within a maximum of 36 weeks. Both of these targets were yet again missed.

The time spent waiting for the start of treatment is a worrying, stressful and uncomfortable time for any patient. Reducing these long waiting periods has to be an important priority for this Welsh government.

The number of patients waiting to start treatment has been generally increasing over the last 13 months. Only last month the First Minister spoke of how proud he was of his party’s record on the NHS. The First Minister needs to take his head out of the sand, how can he be proud of an NHS that spends more per head on our health service than in England, but delivers an inferior service?

Sir Mansel Aylward, a senior advisor to the NHS, recently spoke of how he was ‘depressed and disappointed’ at the limited progress of change the health service had achieved over the last few years. The Welsh Labour government is failing patients and NHS staff, but still remains in denial over its continuing record of failure.

Wales needs better antenatal care

Kirsty Williams — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:24:25 +0000

Earlier this week Isobel Martin, founder of the Holly Martin Stillbirth Research Fund, spoke to Assembly Members about stillbirth, the effect it has on families and what more can be done in terms of research to help understand and avoid this tragic event.

According to figures in 2009, Sands Charity states that 177 babies are stillborn every year in Wales.

There is compelling evidence suggesting that many babies’ lives could be saved with better antenatal care. The stillbirth rate in Wales is still far too high.

For the ultimate goal of stillbirth prevention, as well as to provide better care for those affected, Wales needs the government to be looking to provide increased investment into research.

It is essential that mothers-to-be are also made aware of the risks of stillbirth. Not enough mothers are receiving information on the possibility of stillbirth from their midwife, even though it is a fact that many cases occur even in low risk pregnancies.

One in every two hundred babies are stillborn with nearly 23% of cases unexplained. This is an absolute tragedy. The Government must be looking to provide comprehensive support to mothers who have suffered the loss of their baby.

Campaign for local health facilities

Eluned Parrott — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:39:25 +0000

2011 saw the ‘temporary’ closure of the Minor Injuries Unit at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda hospital with still no indication of when or even if it will re-open. Health chiefs have blamed a shortage of doctors and said that the closure was needed to protect and maintain A&E services at the Royal Glamorgan hospital.

Yet with no move to re-open the unit, it is feared that the closure will become permanent leaving the people of the Rhondda with a second rate health service. Despite the constant criticism of the Westminster coalition government by Welsh Labour, Health is a devolved issue and the responsibility of inadequate planning and management must lie firmly at their door.

Residents from the Rhondda now have to travel further for treatment for non urgent and non life threatening injuries which must be causing a knock on effect for patients at the busy A&E at The Royal Glamorgan hospital.

We have already seen Minor Injuries Units in South East Wales being closed just before Christmas. Despite an outcry from local councillors and the general public, Chepstow’s MIU initially had its opening hours reduced before being subsequently closed in November with the Health Board stating that the situation with staffing and low patient numbers posed “unacceptable risks to patient safety and clinical outcomes”.

I really do not want to see this situation arising in the Rhondda and will continue to support my Welsh Lib Dem colleagues in their call to have it re-opened as soon as possible.

Concern at rise in workload for District Nurses in ABMU Health Board area

Freedom Central — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:58:30 +0000

Figures released to the Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West, Peter Black, show a decline in the number of District Nurses in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend, whilst at the same time the number of clients dependent on their services has increased by nearly one fifth.

In Bridgend the number of qualified district nurses fell from 69.64 whole time equivalents in 2008 to 67.47 by April 2011. Over the same period the number of clients being cared for by the service rose from 4592 to 5435.

In Neath Port Talbot qualified staff went from 74.49 WTE to 67.08, with the client base increasing from 3195 to 4418. Whilst Swansea’s qualified whole time equivalent staff dropped from 94.981 to 86.481. Their client base remained relatively steady, rising slightly from 3127 in 2008 to 3427 in 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Mr. Black said: “Despite the fact that ABMU Health Board have said that they are investing in community services and changing the skill mix of staff so as to meet demand, these figures still show a significant increase in workload for District Nurses and the Health Care Workers who work with them.

“At a time when the Welsh NHS is seeking to get people out of hospital and provide more care for patients in their own homes, these trends are very worrying. My concern is that these increased workloads will take their toll on the health of District Nursing staff and increase stress levels.

I am certainly supportive of the move towards more community medicine and patient independence where appropriate, but we have to have confidence that there is sufficient investment in the relevant services and support staff so as to deliver that safely. I hope that ABMU can give those assurances.”

Kirsty Williams call for clarity on PIP breast implants

Freedom Central — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:31:33 +0000

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, Kirsty Williams has called on Health Minister Lesley Griffiths to be clear about her government’s action over the controversial PIP Breast Implants.

Concerns about the implants were first raised in France, where there are reports of a rupture rate of around 5%, higher than the industry standard 1%-2%. Authorities in France have offered to remove the implants from women there, and in England, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has ordered a report that is due to be published this Friday into the rupture rate.

Kirsty Williams said: “To date the Welsh government has been very quiet about what is a worrying and emotive issue for women and their families across Wales. I have asked the Health Minister to clarify what guidance they are offering to women in Wales and how many women in Wales are affected. I look forward to her reply.”

Welsh Government’s poor record on cancer drugs

Freedom Central — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:37:33 +0000

This morning’s Western Mail reveals that up to two-thirds of requests for NHS funding for potentially life-extending cancer drugs are being turned down in Wales.

Figures collected by the paper show a large variation in the number of requests for funding for cancer drugs, which have not been approved by either the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) or the All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG):

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said it had received 603 requests between 2009 and now, but it said it would take too long to give further details.

Powys Local Health Board, in contrast, received just 13 requests over the same three-year period, approving all but two, but it said it could not give any more details because of the risk of identifying patients.

Cwm Taf Health Board turned down two-thirds of the eight requests it received between April and November this year and half from the previous financial year.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board also turned down almost half of requests for funding made during September and October this year.

Dr Richard Greville, director of the Association for the British Pharmaceutical Industry Cymru, said: “These figures provide an interesting snapshot as to the availability of non-Nice approved medicines in Wales.

“In the absence of a cancer drugs fund, the process of individual patient funding requests is particularly important in deciding the availability of medicines for patients with cancer in Wales.

“There appears to be a wide variation in the number of applications received by each health board and in the percentage of requests declined.

“This suggests a lack of consistency, either in the quality of funding request submissions or the decision-making criteria employed, or indeed both.

“In either case, and in the interest of equity and fairness, it is essential that the Welsh Government monitors and reviews the outcome of individual patient funding requests by each health board in order to better understand the reasons and consistency of their decisions.”