New plans for non-emergency patient transport services

Non-emergency patient transport services in Wales will be enhanced and their operating hours extended as part of wide-ranging plans to modernise the service, Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething has announced. The plans will improve quality of care through the provision of a safe and timely service which will meet the needs of individual patients and reduce pressures on the 999 emergency ambulance service. Under the new arrangements, the Emergency Ambulance Services Committee will commission non-emergency patient transport services for health boards from April 2016 and enhanced services for oncology and renal patients by September 2016. The Deputy Minister said: “These plans mark a step change in the commissioning, planning and delivery of the service which will see non-emergency patient transport services delivering greater benefits for patients and NHS Wales.”

Building a truly active nation

Transport Minister Edwina Hart has said everyone involved in shaping our built environment needs to consider the needs of walkers and cyclists to ensure Wales becomes a truly active nation. Speaking at an Active Travel event for the construction and development sectors in Cardiff, the Minister said radically improving walking and cycling infrastructure does not necessarily need to cost more. The Minister said: “The aim of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 is to get more people in Wales walking and cycling more often by radically improving the way we plan and deliver our walking and cycling infrastructure. It will require all those involved in shaping our built environment to consider the needs of walkers and cyclists from the outset.”

New three-year plan to improve mental health services

Improving services for children and young people with mental health problems and older people with dementia are among the Welsh Government’s key priorities for mental health in Wales over the next three years, Health and Social Services Mark Drakeford has announced.

The Minister has launched the formal consultation on the phase two delivery plan for the Welsh Government’s 10-year strategy to improve mental health and well-being, Together for Mental Health.

One of the key priorities is to improve the quality of life and care for people with, or at risk of, dementia and their carers. The plan also focuses on ensuring children and young people experiencing neuro-developmental conditions, such as autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, are able to access timely assessment and treatment which supports their continued social and personal development. The Minister said: “Mental health is one of our main priorities and, as a government, we are investing record-levels – more than £600m this year – in our mental health services.”

Work begins on UK’s first proton beam therapy centre

The creation of the UK’s first proton beam therapy cancer treatment centre took a significant step forward as work officially began on the site. Economy, Science and Transport Minister Edwina Hart visited the site to mark the beginning of construction. The centre, at the Celtic Springs Business Park, Newport, is expected to be operational by 2017. The investment by Proton Partners International, which is headquartered in Wales, was supported by the Wales Life Sciences Investment Fund established by the Welsh Government and managed by Arthurian Life Sciences. The Minister said: “This is certainly an important milestone in what is a significant investment by Proton Partners to transform cancer care in the UK. It is also a significant investment in Wales and I am delighted support from our Life Sciences Fund played a key role in establishing the business in Wales and ensured their first international centre of excellence and associated UK training centre is being established in Newport.”

£6m to upskill early years and childcare workers

Early years, childcare and play workers in North, West and South Wales will be supported to gain new skills and recognised qualifications thanks to a new £6.3m Welsh Government programme. Education Minister Huw Lewis and Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister Lesley Griffiths announced the Welsh Government has been successful in securing £4.2m of EU funding for its Progress for Success programme. The EU funding will be matched by £2.1m from Welsh Government and will be used to upskill early years, childcare and play workers in Conwy, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. The Education Minister said: “I am delighted that we have now secured EU funding for our Progress for Success programme. This will mean that childcare and play workers in North, West Wales and the Valleys will be able to access new skills and qualifications that will enhance their ability to do their jobs.”

New law to reform social care inspection and regulation

A new law reforming the way Wales’ social care and support services are regulated and inspected will be implemented by April 2019, the Welsh Government has announced. The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, which has been granted Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen, reframes accountability so owners of services can be held to account for failings in care. It also gives Welsh Ministers the power to remove not just bad services but also bad providers, so where services don’t come up to scratch, people will be able to see action being taken by regulators. First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones said: “The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 is the second substantial piece of social care legislation this government has introduced since the National Assembly gained new law-making powers in 2011. Through our legislative programme, we are using our powers for a purpose – to deliver better social care for the people of Wales.”

Minister unveils plans for social housing standards

Housing Minister Lesley Griffiths has set out plans to ensure all social housing in Wales is safe, secure and fit for purpose. The Welsh Government is planning to introduce mandatory quality standards which will replace the current non-statutory standards for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and Local Housing Associations (LHA). The standards would apply to the existing 222,000 social homes in Wales and all new social housing properties built with Welsh Government support. The Minister said: “Quality social housing helps transform the lives of thousands of Wales’ most vulnerable people, enabling them to live in a safe, secure and warm home.”

Landmark Renting Homes law receives Royal Assent

Ground-breaking legislation to improve the lives of the one million people in Wales who rent their home, has been granted Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen. The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 will make renting a home simpler and easier, replacing various and complex pieces of existing legislation with one clear legal framework. First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said: “I am proud of this Government’s proven track record of using ‘made in Wales’ solutions to make Wales a better place to live. This Act will not only introduce much needed clarity and fairness into the rental sector, but also help protect some of the most vulnerable people in society.”

Cancer survival rates continue to improve

More people are being diagnosed with cancer in Wales, but more people than ever are being treated and survival rates are at an all-time high, a new report about cancer care shows. The fourth all-Wales annual report for cancer sets out the progress made against the Welsh Government’s Together for Health – Cancer Delivery Plan over the last 12 months and identifies areas for future improvement. It shows the number of people diagnosed with cancer is increasing. In 2013-14, 19,000 people were diagnosed with cancer, an increase of 11.5% compared to 10 years ago. The report also shows that despite this increase, in 2014-15, 28% more people were seen, diagnosed and began treatment within the 62-day cancer waiting time target than five years ago. Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething said: “The Welsh NHS has again made tremendous progress in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. But there is no room for complacency when in Wales, in 2016 alone, almost 20,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer and around 8,000 will die. I look forward to seeing further progress being made in the fight against cancer.”

Consultation on extension of Blue Badge Scheme

Transport Minister Edwina Hart has launched a consultation on extending Blue Badge eligibility for temporary conditions and streamlining the assessment process. The proposed changes to the Blue Badge Scheme, which provides parking concessions to people with disabilities in Wales, come from a wide ranging review by the Task and Finish Group set-up to consider improvements to the scheme. The Minister said: “The Blue Badge Scheme plays a vital role in improving access to employment and services for people with disabilities. The Welsh Government has already listened to concerns raised about the current system to make important changes to extend eligibility and ensure consistency and fairness in the way it is delivered.”

Smooth start for sheep reporting system

Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, has welcomed the new electronic sheep movement reporting system for Wales, EIDCymru, which went live on 18 January. EIDCymru represents a significant investment of £2.2m by the Welsh Government to provide the farming industry in Wales with a modern and robust movement reporting and traceability system for sheep. The Deputy Minister said: “EIDCymru has been developed with the interests of the sheep industry at its heart, and demonstrates our commitment to modernise farming practices and procedures. It is also another important safeguard against the scale and significant cost of diseases, like the type we faced in 2001 with the foot and mouth outbreak.”