P 67
Ymchwiliad
i’r Adolygiad Blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Iechyd,
Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon
Inquiry into the
Priorities for the Health, Social Care and Sport
Committee
Ymateb gan: Bwrdd
Cynghori Coleg Brenhinol yr Anesthetyddion yng Nghymru
Response from:
Royal College of Anaesthetists Advisory Board
Response
from the Royal College of Anaesthetist’s(RCoA) Advisory Board
in Wales / National Specialist Advisory Committee (NSAG) to the
Consultation on the Priorities
for the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the National
Assembly for Wales
1.
A request for responses was sent to all the committee members of
the Anaesthetic NSAG / RCoA’s Advisory Board in Wales to
disseminate in their departments /groups and to report back to the
vice-chair by 21 August 2016.
2.
It is disappointing that this consultation had to take place over
the summer holidays in order to meet the deadline of 2 September
2016. As a consequence we have received a small amount of
responses.
3.
Responses can be divided into: Maternity services & The South
Wales Plan, Funding & Privatisation, Recruitment&Retention
of qualified staff and The Health of our Patient
Population.
4.
A significant amount of resource had gone into the South Wales
Programme (SWP)during the fourth assembly, with very little to show
for it. The uncertainty created by the SWP is still detrimental to
many. The delays caused by this process have got the potential to
put our patient’s health and wellbeing at risk. Without clear
guidance and financial support it is impossible for health boards
to prepare and be ready to provide patients with the care they may
need.
5.
Similarly in North Wales there has been a catalogue of reviews of a
variety of services from which no discernible change has ever
occurred. The fear & political risks associated with any major
change just appears to overwhelm & the cry for world class
services on everybody’s doorstep becomes too loud. The
situation with 3 DGH`s across North Wales is almost certainly 1
that would not be considered if commencing from a “blank
canvas” position. Therefore a long term view is required to
ultimately achieve a sustainable position.
6.
An area of particular concern for the Obstetric Anaesthetist in
Cardiff is the increase in their patient population, excluding the
reconfiguration and problems of the SWP. They are frequently in the
situation where there are not enough beds to accommodate women in
labour. There also still remains a significant burden on our
Obstetric and Neonatal colleagues due to the lack of neonatal
cots.
7.
Following the vote to leave the European Union there is a fear that
cuts are going to be made to Heath care and reassurance is sought
that at the very least there will be no real term decrease in per
capita spending. With this in mind concerns have also been raised
about privatisation of the NHS.
8.
With regards to sustainability of the NHS the suggestion was made
that a system approach may need to be adopted to achieve higher
levels of efficiency and reliability. This includes the much wider
use of protocols, guidelines, algorithms and computer programmes.
The suggestion is that these can be delivered by staff with less
training and therefore be more effective.
9.
We appreciate that the main focus at present is on recruiting in
primary care. Our problem in secondary and tertiary care does not
only include medical personnel. We have problems recruiting nurses,
midwives and operating department practitioners (ODP’s). It
is therefore felt that there should be more focus on incentives to
recruit and retain all forms of staff in Wales.
10.
There is a feeling that with limited resource more focus should be
placed on patient’s life style related issues and healthy
living. All patients should be encouraged to drink within
moderation, eat healthy and not to smoke; it is felt to be unfair
to impose blanket punitive measures and that it would be better to
target individual access to heath care provision. Simplified
labelling of food content will enable more people to understand
what they are eating and may encourage healthier
eating.
Dr A.D. Theron
Vice Chair Royal College of Anaesthetists Advisory Board in Wales/
NSAG
August 2016