Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
12/02/2020Cynnwys
Contents
Cyfarfu’r Cynulliad am 13:30 gyda’r Llywydd (Elin Jones) yn y Gadair.
The Assembly met at 13:30 with the Llywydd (Elin Jones) in the Chair.
Galw'r Aelodau i drefn.
I call the Members to order.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Addysg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Joyce Watson.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Minister for Education, and the first question is from Joyce Watson.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y ddarpariaeth gwasanaethau cwnsela mewn ysgolion? OAQ55082
1. Will the Minister provide an update on the provision of school counselling services? OAQ55082
Our most recent statistical release, for the period of 2017-18, shows almost 11,500 children received counselling, comparable to numbers in previous years. In the current year, we also made an additional £626,000—no; yes, £626,000—available to local authorities to support improvements to the service as part of our work on developing a whole-school approach to mental health and well-being.
Mae ein datganiad ystadegol diweddaraf, ar gyfer y cyfnod 2017-18, yn dangos bod bron i 11,500 o blant wedi cael gwasanaeth cwnsela, sy'n debyg i'r niferoedd yn y blynyddoedd blaenorol. Yn y flwyddyn gyfredol, darparwyd £626,000 yn ychwanegol gennym—na; ie, £626,000—i awdurdodau lleol i gefnogi gwelliannau i'r gwasanaeth fel rhan o'n gwaith ar ddatblygu dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl a lles.
I thank you for that answer, and it really is a good investment in the well-being of young people. But there was a report by the Children, Young People and Education Committee in 2018, and it reviewed school-based counselling and found that the service was indeed making a significant contribution to building an emotionally resilient population of young people. But there was one area of concern that was raised by the children, and that was the sense of being stigmatised about accessing the service by having to leave school lessons in order to do so. So, my question, really, is: that having been said, Minister, what actions have been taken since that report to reduce that stigma around school-based counselling so that children and young people continue to access what, for them, is a much needed service?
Diolch am eich ateb, ac mae'n fuddsoddiad da iawn yn lles pobl ifanc. Ond cafwyd adroddiad gan y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg yn 2018 a oedd yn adolygu cwnsela yn yr ysgol, a chanfu fod y gwasanaeth yn wir yn gwneud cyfraniad sylweddol tuag at feithrin poblogaeth o bobl ifanc wydn yn emosiynol. Ond nodwyd un maes pryder gan y plant, sef yr ymdeimlad o gael eich difrïo am ddefnyddio’r gwasanaeth gan fod yn rhaid gadael gwersi ysgol er mwyn gwneud hynny. Felly, fy nghwestiwn, mewn gwirionedd, yw: yng ngoleuni hynny, Weinidog, pa gamau a gymerwyd ers yr adroddiad hwnnw i leihau’r stigma ynghylch cwnsela yn yr ysgol fel bod plant a phobl ifanc yn parhau i gael mynediad at y gwasanaeth hwn y maent ei angen yn fawr?
Thank you, Joyce. Well, since the publication of that report, a great deal of work has been undertaken and continues to be driven forward. For example, by making all aware of the availability of both counselling provided in schools, in community-based settings, and, indeed, online, in a virtual world, our revised counselling toolkit, which will be published next month, will, I believe, help reduce stigma and normalise the use of counselling services. Our draft whole-school framework guidance, which will be formally consulted on in the next few weeks, also highlights the need for schools to ensure that spaces provided for school-based counselling and other well-being work should avoid having any such space labelled, so that we can avoid such stigma.
Of course, as we move towards the delivery of our new curriculum, our health and well-being area of learning and experience will encourage children to take better care of both their physical and their mental health, and encourage help-seeking behaviours as an acceptable response when children feel upset or distressed.
Diolch, Joyce. Wel, ers cyhoeddi'r adroddiad hwnnw, mae llawer iawn o waith wedi'i wneud ac yn parhau i fynd rhagddo. Er enghraifft, drwy sicrhau bod pawb yn ymwybodol o argaeledd gwasanaethau cwnsela a ddarperir mewn ysgolion, mewn lleoliadau cymunedol, ac yn wir, ar-lein, mewn byd rhithwir, credaf y bydd ein pecyn cymorth cwnsela diwygiedig, a fydd yn cael ei gyhoeddi y mis nesaf, yn helpu i leihau stigma a normaleiddio'r defnydd o wasanaethau cwnsela. Mae ein canllawiau fframwaith ysgol gyfan drafft, a fydd yn destun ymgynghori ffurfiol yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, hefyd yn tynnu sylw at yr angen i ysgolion sicrhau y dylid osgoi labelu lleoedd a ddarperir ar gyfer cwnsela yn yr ysgol, a gwaith llesiant arall, fel y gallwn osgoi stigma o'r fath.
Wrth gwrs, wrth i ni symud tuag at gyflwyno ein cwricwlwm newydd, bydd ein meysydd dysgu a phrofiad iechyd a lles yn annog plant i ofalu am eu hiechyd corfforol a meddyliol, ac yn annog ymddygiad sy'n ceisio cymorth fel ymateb derbyniol pan fydd plant yn teimlo'n boenus neu’n ofidus.
Some of the schools in my region quite rightly use part of their pupil development grant to help support on-site school counselling services for pupils. What feedback have you had from schools who don't get high levels of PDG, and have seen cuts to their core funding, about the difficulties they might have in offering counselling on site?
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Mae rhai o'r ysgolion yn fy rhanbarth, yn gwbl briodol, yn defnyddio rhan o'u grant datblygu disgyblion i helpu i gefnogi gwasanaethau cwnsela ysgolion ar y safle i ddisgyblion. Pa adborth a gawsoch gan ysgolion nad ydynt yn cael lefelau uchel o grant datblygu disgyblion, ac sydd wedi cael toriadau i'w cyllid craidd, ynghylch yr anawsterau y gallant eu hwynebu wrth gynnig cwnsela ar y safle?
Well, Suzy, as I have just answered to Joyce Watson, we are making over £600,000 extra available in this financial year to support counselling services, and, in the new financial year, additional resources will also be made available to look to extend support services for children—traditional counselling, but perhaps group-based approaches for younger children, to extend the help available to all schools.
Wel, Suzy, fel rwyf newydd ddweud yn fy ateb i Joyce Watson, rydym yn sicrhau bod dros £600,000 yn ychwanegol ar gael yn y flwyddyn ariannol hon i gefnogi gwasanaethau cwnsela, ac yn y flwyddyn ariannol newydd, bydd adnoddau ychwanegol ar gael hefyd i geisio cynyddu gwasanaethau cymorth i blant—cwnsela traddodiadol, ond efallai dulliau grŵp ar gyfer plant iau, i gynyddu faint o gymorth sydd ar gael i bob ysgol.
Minister, in my constituency—I suppose I declare an interest, first of all, as a trustee of Eye to Eye, who provide some of the youth counselling service in my constituency—the work that is done is really in response to the fact that there are so many issues that are arising amongst young people. And the counselling service and the work that is done, I think, only re-emphasises to all of us how important that work is. What I do wonder is: across Wales, what work is being done to actually collate the overall statistics for the whole of Wales to get a picture of what is happening across Wales in respect of this incredibly important service?
Weinidog, yn fy etholaeth i—mae’n debyg fy mod yn datgan buddiant, yn gyntaf oll, fel un o ymddiriedolwyr Eye to Eye, sy'n darparu peth o'r gwasanaeth cwnsela ieuenctid yn fy etholaeth—mae’r gwaith a wneir yn ymateb i'r ffaith bod cymaint o faterion yn codi ymhlith pobl ifanc. A chredaf fod y gwasanaeth cwnsela a'r gwaith a wneir yn ailbwysleisio i bob un ohonom pa mor bwysig yw'r gwaith hwnnw. Ond tybed: ledled Cymru, pa waith sy'n mynd rhagddo i goladu'r ystadegau cyffredinol ar gyfer Cymru gyfan i gael darlun o'r hyn sy'n digwydd ledled Cymru mewn perthynas â'r gwasanaeth hynod bwysig hwn?
You're right, Mick: we need to ensure that any Government investment and policy response to promoting children's good mental health and well-being needs to be on the basis of evidence. And there are a variety of ways in which we do that. We have the formal statistics that are collated as a part of the formal counselling service. Most recently, in reporting back to the 'Mind over matter' stakeholder group, representatives of the Association of Directors of Education in Wales had canvassed each local authority and had asked for details of services across Wales that both local authorities and schools were employing. And, of course, we also hear from young people themselves, via our support for the healthy schools questionnaire that goes out to young people, where they themselves have an opportunity to express how they're feeling about their own mental health and well-being. So, we use a variety of sources and data collection points to establish a firm evidence base for investment in this important area.
Rydych yn llygad eich lle, Mick; mae angen inni sicrhau bod angen i unrhyw fuddsoddiad ac ymateb polisi gan y Llywodraeth i hyrwyddo iechyd meddwl a lles da ymhlith plant fod yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth. Ac mae nifer o ffyrdd rydym yn gwneud hynny. Mae gennym yr ystadegau ffurfiol sy'n cael eu coladu fel rhan o'r gwasanaeth cwnsela ffurfiol. Yn fwyaf diweddar, wrth adrodd yn ôl i grŵp rhanddeiliaid 'Cadernid Meddwl', canfasiodd cynrychiolwyr Cymdeithas Cyfarwyddwyr Addysg Cymru bob awdurdod lleol i ofyn am fanylion gwasanaethau roedd awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion yn eu defnyddio ledled Cymru. Ac wrth gwrs, rydym hefyd yn clywed gan bobl ifanc eu hunain, drwy ein cefnogaeth i'r holiadur ysgolion iach a roddir i bobl ifanc, lle maent yn cael cyfle i fynegi sut y maent yn teimlo am eu hiechyd meddwl a'u lles eu hunain. Felly, rydym yn defnyddio amrywiaeth o ffynonellau a phwyntiau casglu data i sefydlu sylfaen dystiolaeth gadarn ar gyfer buddsoddi yn y maes pwysig hwn.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am ddarparu addysg ôl-16 i ddysgwyr ym Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni? OAQ55084
2. Will the Minister provide an update on the delivery of post-16 education for learners in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ55084
Post-16 delivery in Wales supports access to a range of programmes that support lifelong learning. Whether it's upskilling to access employment, a first step into post-16, or a return to learning, delivery serves to improve economic prosperity and to ensure that people in all areas are equipped for their futures.
Mae darpariaeth ôl-16 yng Nghymru yn cefnogi mynediad at ystod o raglenni sy'n cefnogi dysgu gydol oes. Boed yn uwchsgilio i gael mynediad at gyflogaeth, y cam cyntaf i’r byd ôl-16, neu ddychwelyd at ddysgu, mae darpariaeth yn gwella ffyniant economaidd ac yn sicrhau bod pobl ym mhob maes wedi'u harfogi ar gyfer eu dyfodol.
Thank you, Minister. And I'm sure you'll want to join me in congratulating Merthyr College on being nominated for the TES further education college of the year award 2020. The nomination recognises outstanding achievements, continually improving learner outcomes, and their overall contribution to training for learners. And, as our First Minister said on his visit to the college last autumn, it is one of the great success stories of devolution. However, in spite of such success, the future of their funding arrangements remains a concern, especially around our departure from the European Union. Now I believe such funding has had a massive impact on the quality of the learning experience, as the college has been able to provide improved learner retention, completion rates, and contributed to a year-on-year increase in overall success rates. So, are you yet able to give any assurance that EU moneys currently being used to support learners at risk of dropping out of college—for example, on the Inspire to Achieve scheme—will be factored into the regional investment in Wales, and is such valuable learning secure as we leave the EU?
Diolch, Weinidog. Ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn awyddus i ymuno â mi i longyfarch Coleg Merthyr Tudful ar gael eu henwebu ar gyfer gwobr coleg addysg bellach y flwyddyn y Times Educational Supplement 2020. Mae'r enwebiad yn cydnabod cyflawniadau rhagorol, canlyniadau dysgwyr sy'n gwella'n barhaus, a'u cyfraniad cyffredinol at hyfforddiant i ddysgwyr. Ac fel y dywedodd ein Prif Weinidog wrth ymweld â'r coleg yn yr hydref y llynedd, mae'n un o’r enghreifftiau gwych o lwyddiant datganoli. Fodd bynnag, er gwaethaf llwyddiant o'r fath, mae dyfodol eu trefniadau cyllido yn parhau i beri pryder, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â’n hymadawiad â'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Nawr, credaf fod cyllid o'r fath wedi cael effaith enfawr ar ansawdd y profiad dysgu, gan fod y coleg wedi gallu sicrhau gwell cyfraddau cadw dysgwyr, cyfraddau cwblhau, ac wedi cyfrannu at gynnydd o flwyddyn i flwyddyn o ran cyfraddau llwyddiant cyffredinol. Felly, a allwch roi unrhyw sicrwydd eto y bydd arian yr UE sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio ar hyn o bryd i gynorthwyo dysgwyr sydd mewn perygl o adael coleg—er enghraifft, y cynllun Ysbrydoli i Gyflawni—yn cael ei ystyried fel rhan o'r buddsoddiad rhanbarthol yng Nghymru, ac a yw dysgu mor werthfawr yn ddiogel wrth i ni adael yr UE?
Well, Presiding Officer, I'm immensely proud of the success and the achievements of the FE sector in Wales. The fact that nominations have been made for six colleges, in total, from Wales in the TES 2020 awards is a testament to the good work that is going on across the sector. And I'd like to wish Merthyr College, and indeed other colleges that are nominated, all the very best when those awards take place on 20 March. The Member is right to draw attention to the issue of the successful use of EU funds by the FE sector. I wish I could give the Member some reassurance as to the continuation of those funding streams. Of course, that will be dependent on our calls as a Government for replacement funding from the UK Government to be met. In the meantime, we're continuing to work closely and productively with our stakeholders across Wales to put in place successor arrangements for Wales. And an important part of that is our regional investment for Wales's steering group, chaired by Huw Irranca-Davies, of which FE colleges are a part. And that forms an important part of that work, as we look to the future, now, to protect those particular funding streams and those successful programmes.
Wel, Lywydd, rwy'n hynod falch o lwyddiant a chyflawniadau'r sector addysg bellach yng Nghymru. Mae'r ffaith bod chwe choleg i gyd o Gymru wedi’u henwebu yng ngwobrau'r Times Educational Supplement 2020 yn dyst i'r gwaith da sy'n mynd rhagddo ar draws y sector. A hoffwn ddymuno’n dda i Goleg Merthyr Tudful, ac yn wir, i’r colegau eraill sydd wedi’u henwebu, pan gynhelir y gwobrau hynny ar 20 Mawrth. Mae'r Aelod yn iawn i dynnu sylw at ddefnydd llwyddiannus o gyllid yr UE gan y sector addysg bellach. Hoffwn pe gallwn roi rhywfaint o sicrwydd i'r Aelod ynghylch parhad y ffrydiau cyllido hynny. Wrth gwrs, bydd hynny'n ddibynnol ar Lywodraeth y DU yn ateb ein galwadau fel Llywodraeth am gyllid newydd. Yn y cyfamser, rydym yn parhau i weithio'n agos ac yn gynhyrchiol gyda'n rhanddeiliaid ledled Cymru, i roi trefniadau olyniaeth ar waith ar gyfer Cymru. A rhan bwysig o hynny yw grŵp llywio buddsoddi rhanbarthol Cymru, dan gadeiryddiaeth Huw Irranca-Davies, y mae colegau addysg bellach yn rhan ohono. Ac mae hynny'n rhan bwysig o'r gwaith hwnnw, wrth inni edrych tua'r dyfodol yn awr, i amddiffyn y ffrydiau cyllido penodol hynny, a'r rhaglenni llwyddiannus hynny.
Again, with Dawn Bowden, I want to say the same thing—Merthyr Tydfil College is one of the top-performing further education colleges in Wales. And will you join me, Minister, in welcoming the news that Merthyr college is shortlisted for the TES further education college of the year award for 2020, which seeks to recognise and reward the achievement of the very best further education providers in the United Kingdom? Equally, the teachers and students must be congratulated, who have worked very hard to make sure that this sort of teaching and training rolls out in our other schools in the region. Thank you.
Unwaith eto, gyda Dawn Bowden, hoffwn ddweud yr un peth—mae Coleg Merthyr Tudful yn un o'r colegau addysg bellach sy'n perfformio orau yng Nghymru. Ac a wnewch chi ymuno â mi, Weinidog, i groesawu’r newyddion fod Coleg Merthyr Tudful ar restr fer gwobr coleg addysg bellach y flwyddyn y Times Educational Supplement 2020, sy’n ceisio cydnabod a gwobrwyo cyflawniad y colegau addysg bellach gorau yn y Deyrnas Unedig? Yn yr un modd, mae’n rhaid llongyfarch yr athrawon a'r myfyrwyr sydd wedi gweithio'n galed iawn i sicrhau bod y math hwn o addysgu a hyfforddi yn cael ei ddarparu yn ein hysgolion eraill yn y rhanbarth. Diolch.
Presiding Officer, if the Member had missed it the first time around, I am incredibly pleased that Merthyr college finds itself subject to such nominations. And, as I said in my previous answer, I wish them—as well as Gower College, Bridgend College, Cardiff and Vale College, and Dolgellau construction and engineering team from the Llandrillo Menai Group—all the very best in those awards.
Lywydd, rhag ofn i’r Aelod fethu hyn y tro cyntaf, rwy'n hynod falch fod Coleg Merthyr Tudful yn destun enwebiadau o'r fath. Ac fel y dywedais yn fy ateb blaenorol, rwy'n dymuno'n dda iddynt—yn ogystal â Choleg Gŵyr, Coleg Penybont, Coleg Caerdydd a Fro, a thîm adeiladu a pheirianneg Dolgellau o Grŵp Menai Llandrillo—yn y gwobrau hynny.
Does the Minister believe that the advantages of consolidation of post-16 education at Merthyr Tydfil College outweigh any reduction in choice or increase in travel times for those students who, in the past, have attended school sixth forms?
A yw'r Gweinidog yn credu bod manteision cydgrynhoi addysg ôl-16 yng Ngholeg Merthyr Tudful yn bwysicach nag unrhyw leihad yn y dewis neu gynnydd yn yr amseroedd teithio ar gyfer y myfyrwyr hynny sydd, yn y gorffennol, wedi mynychu'r chweched dosbarth mewn ysgolion?
The organisation of post-16 education is a matter for local areas. I believe in a mixed economy. I believe that both our sixth forms and our FE colleges provide really important opportunities for our young people. Of course, greater co-ordination across the post-16 sector and the ability for that sector to meet all the education and training needs of our local population form the bedrock of our post-compulsory education and training proposals and my determination to establish a commission for tertiary education and research.
Mae trefniadaeth addysg ôl-16 yn fater i ardaloedd lleol. Rwy'n credu mewn economi gymysg. Credaf fod ein chweched dosbarth a'n colegau addysg bellach yn darparu cyfleoedd pwysig iawn i'n pobl ifanc. Wrth gwrs, mae gwell cydgysylltedd ar draws y sector ôl-16 a'r gallu i'r sector hwnnw ddiwallu holl anghenion addysg a hyfforddiant ein poblogaeth leol yn sylfaen i’n cynigion addysg a hyfforddiant ôl-orfodol a fy mhenderfyniad i sefydlu comisiwn ar gyfer ymchwil ac addysg drydyddol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Rydym ni'n ymwybodol bod recriwtio a chadw athrawon yn her yng Nghymru, ac mewn gwledydd eraill hefyd, yn wir, a bod yna nifer o resymau am hyn, a bod angen taclo'r broblem mewn sawl ffordd. Mae ystadegau Llywodraeth Cymru'n dangos bod 40 y cant yn llai na'r targed sydd wedi ei osod ar gyfer hyfforddeion ar gyfer y sector uwchradd, er enghraifft, ac mae adroddiadau diweddaraf y Cyngor Gweithlu Addysg yn dangos bod yna fwy o gymorthyddion nag o athrawon yn ein hysgolion ni erbyn hyn. Rŵan, dwi'n gwybod eich bod chi'n ymwybodol iawn o'r broblem yma, sydd wedi cael ei gwyntyllu dros y blynyddoedd, yn wir, yn y Siambr yma. Pa mor ffyddiog ydych chi y gwelwn ni'r sefyllfa yma yn gwella dros y blynyddoedd nesaf?
Thank you, Llywydd. We are aware that recruitment and retention of teachers is a challenge in Wales, and in other nations too, and there are a number of reasons behind this, and we need to tackle the problem in a number of different ways. Welsh Government statistics show that 40 per cent less than the target set for trainees in the secondary sector are in place, for example, and recent reports by the Education Workforce Council demonstrate that there are more assistants than teachers in our schools now. Now, I know that you're highly aware of this problem, which has been discussed over a period of years in this Chamber, so, how confident are you that we will see this situation improving over the next few years?
Well, Siân, you're absolutely right. This is an issue that is common to education systems, actually, across the globe and was the subject of much debate when we hosted the Atlantic Rim Collaboratory conference here in Cardiff back in the autumn. There is no one single thing that we can do to address these issues, but to outline some of the actions this Government is currently taking, we have agreed a new approach to promoting teaching as a career with the Education Workforce Council and hopefully—not long now—Members will be able to see adverts on a variety of platforms highlighting the important and the rewarding career that teaching is.
We are looking at new ways in which we can support qualification for teachers. So, the Member will be aware of the recent accreditation of the Open University scheme to train teachers. We're looking particularly there to attract career changers—those people for whom perhaps a traditional way of qualification is not appropriate, but have a desire and a passion to teach. The Member will also be aware of our recent scheme, for instance, to allow Welsh-medium teachers in the primary sector, who perhaps have not been able to find work in that particular sector, to convert to be able to use their skills and their passion in the secondary sector.
So, there are a variety of actions this Government is taking to address the issue of teacher recruitment. But, of course, once they are recruited into the profession, we also have to work harder to maintain them in the profession and we're taking steps in that regard also.
Wel, Siân, rydych yn llygad eich lle. Mae hwn yn fater sy'n gyffredin i systemau addysg ledled y byd mewn gwirionedd, a bu’n destun cryn ddadlau pan gynaliasom gynhadledd yr Atlantic Rim Collaboratory yma yng Nghaerdydd yn ôl yn yr hydref. Nid oes unrhyw beth unigol y gallwn ei wneud i fynd i’r afael â’r materion hyn, ond i amlinellu rhai o’r camau y mae’r Llywodraeth hon yn eu cymryd ar hyn o bryd, rydym wedi cytuno ar ddull newydd o hyrwyddo addysgu fel gyrfa gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg a gobeithio—cyn bo hir—y bydd yr Aelodau'n gallu gweld hysbysebion ar amrywiaeth o blatfformau a fydd yn tynnu sylw at addysgu fel gyrfa bwysig a gwerth chweil.
Rydym yn edrych ar ffyrdd newydd y gallwn gefnogi cymwysterau i athrawon. Felly, bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol o achrediad diweddar cynllun y Brifysgol Agored i hyfforddi athrawon. Rydym yn edrych yn benodol yno ar ddenu pobl sy'n newid gyrfa—y bobl nad yw cymhwyso mewn ffordd draddodiadol yn briodol iddynt, efallai, ond sydd ag awydd a dyhead i addysgu. Bydd yr Aelod hefyd yn ymwybodol o'n cynllun diweddar, er enghraifft, i ganiatáu i athrawon cyfrwng Cymraeg yn y sector cynradd nad ydynt efallai wedi gallu dod o hyd i waith yn y sector penodol hwnnw, i newid er mwyn gallu defnyddio eu sgiliau a’u hangerdd yn y sector uwchradd.
Felly, mae nifer o gamau y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â recriwtio athrawon. Ond wrth gwrs, ar ôl iddynt gael eu recriwtio i'r proffesiwn, mae'n rhaid inni hefyd weithio'n galetach i'w cadw yn y proffesiwn ac rydym yn rhoi camau ar waith yn hynny o beth hefyd.
Diolch yn fawr, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at weld ffrwyth y gwaith yna, achos yr athrawon ydy'r adnodd mwyaf gwerthfawr sydd gennym ni yn ein hysgolion, wrth gwrs.
O gofio'r strategaeth miliwn o siaradwyr, a phwysigrwydd addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg i lwyddiant y nod hwnnw, mae recriwtio athrawon sy'n dysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn bryder penodol, onid ydy? Mae ystadegau'r bwletin ystadegol yn dangos mai dim ond 17.5 y cant o'r myfyrwyr ym mlwyddyn gyntaf addysg gychwynnol athrawon yn 2017-18 oedd yn hyfforddi i addysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, efo'r niferoedd yn weddol gyfartal rhwng y sectorau cynradd ac uwchradd, yn digwydd bod.
Felly, dwi'n croesawu'n fawr yr hyn roeddwn yn ei ddarllen yn y wasg yr wythnos diwethaf, sef ei bod hi'n fwriad gennych chi a gan Lywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod partneriaid yn gweithio tuag at sicrhau y dylai 30 y cant o'r rhai sy'n cael eu recriwtio i bob rhaglen hyfforddiant cychwynnol athrawon fod yn athrawon fydd yn gallu addysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Felly, prynhawn yma, hoffwn i jest gael ychydig bach mwy o wybodaeth am y polisi yma. Wnewch chi ymhelaethu ar eich rhesymau chi dros osod y targed, a pham ydych chi'n ystyried bod gosod y targed yma'n ffordd effeithiol o gynyddu sgiliau Cymraeg o fewn y gweithlu addysg?
Thank you very much, and I do look forward to seeing the upshot of that work, because the teachers are our most important, valuable asset in our schools, of course.
Given the million Welsh speakers strategy and the importance of Welsh-medium education to the success of that particular aim, the recruitment of teachers who can teach through the medium of Welsh is a specific concern, isn't it? Statistics from the statistical bulletin show that only 17.5 per cent of students in their first year of initial teacher training in 2017-18 were training to teach through the medium of Welsh, with the numbers relatively equal between the primary and secondary sectors, as it happens.
So, I do warmly welcome what I read in the press last week, namely that it is your intention, and the Welsh Government's intention, to ensure that partners do work towards ensuring that 30 per cent of those recruited to all initial teacher training programmes should be teachers who would be able to teach through the medium of Welsh. So, this afternoon, I would just like a little more information on this policy. Will you expand upon your rationale for setting that target, and why do you think that setting this target is an effective way of increasing Welsh language skills within the education workforce?
Well, Siân, you're absolutely right: recruiting more Welsh-medium teachers is a vital component of our aim to reach 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050. The requirement for teacher training providers to work towards training 30 per cent of teachers to teach through the medium of Welsh is an important instruction to them, and the Education Workforce Council, of our intention to be able to ensure that we have the right staff to respond to that target, but also to respond to the parents of Wales, who increasingly are looking to choose a Welsh-medium education for their children, and to respond positively to that. It's not the only initiative, as I referred to, but I'm grateful for the Member's support for that, and indeed the various supportive comments from Cymdeithas yr Iaith, for instance, as an important indication of this Government's intention in this regard.
Wel, Siân, rydych yn llygad eich lle: mae recriwtio mwy o athrawon cyfrwng Cymraeg yn rhan hanfodol o'n nod i gyrraedd 1 filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050. Mae'r gofyniad i ddarparwyr hyfforddiant athrawon weithio tuag at hyfforddi 30 y cant o athrawon i addysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn gyfarwyddyd pwysig iddynt, a Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg, o ran ein bwriad i allu sicrhau bod gennym y staff iawn i ymateb i'r targed hwnnw, ond hefyd i ymateb i rieni Cymru, sy'n fwyfwy awyddus i ddewis addysg Gymraeg i'w plant, ac i ymateb yn gadarnhaol i hynny. Nid hon yw'r unig fenter, fel y nodais, ond rwy'n ddiolchgar am gefnogaeth yr Aelod iddi, ac yn wir, yr amrywiol sylwadau cefnogol gan Gymdeithas yr Iaith, er enghraifft, fel arwydd pwysig o fwriad y Llywodraeth hon yn hyn o beth.
Yn sicr, mi ydyn ni'n falch o weld y targedau yma'n cael eu gosod. Mae'n rhywbeth rydym ni wedi bod yn galw amdano fo ers tro, wrth gwrs, ac rydym ni'n ei weld o fel cam positif dros ben. Hoffwn i sicrwydd gennych chi y bydd monitro cyflawniad yn erbyn y targed yn digwydd. Efallai y medrwch chi gadarnhau heddiw yma y bydd gennych chi system i fonitro cynnydd fel bod y targed yn un gwirioneddol ystyrlon. Rydych chi wedi gosod y targed yma rŵan ar gyfer un maes penodol, sef darpar athrawon, ac mae'n glir fod Comisiynydd y Gymraeg, ac eraill, yn wir, yn credu fod hwn—beth rydych chi wedi'i wneud efo darpar athrawon—yn gynsail da ar gyfer meysydd eraill. Ydych chi'n gallu sôn y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â lledaenu'r arfer o osod targedau er mwyn cynyddu sgiliau dwyieithog? Ydych chi o blaid, er enghraifft, lledaenu'r arfer yma o osod targedau ar gyfer gweithlu'r dyfodol mewn meysydd fel iechyd a gofal, ac eraill o fewn eich portffolio chi o ran addysg bellach ac uwch?
Certainly, we are pleased to see these targets being put in place. It's something that we've been calling for for some time, and we do see it as a positive step forward. I would like an assurance from you that you will be monitoring delivery against that target. Perhaps you can confirm today that you will have a system to monitor progress so that the target is truly meaningful. You have now set this target for one specific area, namely prospective teachers, and it's clear that the Welsh Language Commissioner and others believe that what you have done with prospective teachers is a good precedent for other areas. So, can you tell us this afternoon about expanding this practice of setting targets in order to enhance bilingual skills? Are you in favour, for example, of rolling out this practice of setting targets for the future workforce in areas such as health and care, and other areas within your portfolio in terms of HE and FE?
Well, Presiding Officer, I'm not in charge of health and care, but I think what's important for me is that if we are to respond, as I said, proactively to the demand that there is out there for Welsh-medium education, if we're to meet that target, then the first important element is our teaching workforce. The Member joined me and other Members recently at the event organised by our coleg cenedlaethol. We are working collectively with them and our FE partners to increase the availability of Welsh-medium FE tuition, building on the very real success the coleg has had in terms of expanding Welsh-medium tuition in the HE sector.
It is absolutely an important principle to me that we give children and young people in Wales a Welsh language continuum, from our childcare offer through to access to our nursery schools via the mudiad, into Welsh-medium schooling, and then for them to be able to continue to develop and use their language skills in both an FE and an HE setting wherever possible.
We will continue to look to ensure, in other aspects of education workforce, that we address the linguistic needs of staff, whether that be, for instance, our teaching assistants, our nursery assistants in the mudiad, or other professionals who work with our children and young people. It's really important from an equity point of view that we continue to work as hard as we can to address those linguistic skills of professionals who work alongside our children and young people.
Wel, Lywydd, nid fi sy'n gyfrifol am iechyd a gofal, ond credaf mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig i mi yw, os ydym am ymateb, fel y dywedais, yn rhagweithiol i'r galw am addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, os ydym am gyrraedd y targed hwnnw, yr elfen bwysig gyntaf yw ein gweithlu addysgu. Ymunodd yr Aelod â mi ac Aelodau eraill yn ddiweddar yn y digwyddiad a drefnwyd gan ein coleg cenedlaethol. Rydym yn gweithio ar y cyd â hwy a'n partneriaid addysg bellach i gynyddu argaeledd hyfforddiant addysg bellach cyfrwng Cymraeg, gan adeiladu ar y llwyddiant real iawn y mae'r coleg wedi'i gael yn ehangu hyfforddiant cyfrwng Cymraeg yn y sector addysg uwch.
Mae'n egwyddor hollol bwysig i mi ein bod yn rhoi continwwm iaith Gymraeg i blant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru, o'n cynnig gofal plant hyd at fynediad at ein hysgolion meithrin drwy'r mudiad, i addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, ac yna iddynt allu parhau i ddatblygu a defnyddio eu sgiliau iaith mewn lleoliadau addysg bellach ac addysg uwch lle bynnag y bo modd.
Byddwn yn parhau i geisio sicrhau, mewn agweddau eraill ar y gweithlu addysg, ein bod yn mynd i'r afael ag anghenion ieithyddol staff, boed hynny'n golygu, er enghraifft, ein cynorthwywyr addysgu, ein cynorthwywyr meithrin yn y mudiad, neu weithwyr proffesiynol eraill sy'n gweithio gyda'n plant a'n pobl ifanc. Mae'n bwysig iawn o safbwynt tegwch ein bod yn parhau i weithio mor galed ag y gallwn i fynd i'r afael â sgiliau ieithyddol gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n gweithio ochr yn ochr â'n plant a'n pobl ifanc.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Mohammad Asghar.
Conservative spokesperson, Mohammad Asghar.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Last month, headteachers in Wales called on the Welsh Government to revise its draft budget proposals for education. The National Association of Headteachers Cymru said that the proposed expenditure on education set out so far does not come close to repairing the damage done by years of Welsh Government underfunding. Schools are in deficit positions, struggling to retain good teachers and support staff, and they could face difficulties in delivering the new curriculum. Minister, why have you refused to commit to spending more money directly on schools, and will you agree to ring fence the consequentials arising from the UK Government's announcement of additional spending on primary schools in England for education in Wales?
Diolch, Lywydd. Y mis diwethaf, bu penaethiaid yng Nghymru yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i adolygu ei chynigion cyllidebol drafft ar gyfer addysg. Dywedodd Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Prifathrawon Cymru nad yw'r gwariant arfaethedig ar addysg a nodwyd hyd yma yn dod yn agos at unioni'r niwed a wnaed gan flynyddoedd o danariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae ysgolion mewn diffyg ariannol, yn ei chael hi'n anodd cadw staff cymorth ac athrawon da, a gallent wynebu anawsterau wrth gyflwyno'r cwricwlwm newydd. Weinidog, pam eich bod wedi gwrthod ymrwymo i wario mwy o arian yn uniongyrchol ar ysgolion, ac a wnewch chi gytuno i glustnodi'r cyllid canlyniadol sy'n deillio o gyhoeddiad Llywodraeth y DU ynglŷn â gwariant ychwanegol ar ysgolion cynradd yn Lloegr ar gyfer addysg yng Nghymru?
In all my dealings with headteachers' unions and with teachers' unions, Oscar, I have to say their first concern is the inability of your Government in Westminster to give this Government an appropriate level of public expenditure. One very real example, Presiding Officer: we received no consequential this year to pay for the teachers' pay rise. We were short-changed again this year to pay for teachers' pensions, which is not a devolved matter. It was the finance Minister, working across this Government, that had to fund the shortfall, and that's money that could have been spent on other aspects of education, but we've had to find that money for the non-devolved area of teachers' pensions to address the shortfall.
Let me be absolutely clear to the Member, we have worked hard to give Welsh local government, who are the main funders of our education system, the best possible settlement, as well as significantly increasing the amounts of resources that are in the education main expenditure group. I could do so much more if his Government would give Wales a fairer deal.
Yn fy holl ymwneud ag undebau penaethiaid ac undebau athrawon, Oscar, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud mai eu pryder cyntaf yw anallu eich Llywodraeth yn San Steffan i roi lefel briodol o wariant cyhoeddus i'r Llywodraeth hon. Un enghraifft real iawn, Lywydd: ni chawsom unrhyw gyllid canlyniadol eleni i dalu am godiad cyflog athrawon. Ni chawsom ddigon o arian eto eleni i dalu am bensiynau athrawon, nad yw'n fater datganoledig. Bu'n rhaid i'r Gweinidog cyllid, gan weithio ar draws y Llywodraeth hon, ariannu'r diffyg, ac roedd hwnnw'n arian y gellid bod wedi'i wario ar agwedd arall ar addysg, ond rydym wedi gorfod dod o hyd i'r arian hwnnw i fynd i'r afael â'r diffyg ym maes pensiynau athrawon nad yw wedi'i ddatganoli.
Gadewch i mi ddweud yn gwbl glir wrth yr Aelod, rydym wedi gweithio'n galed i roi'r setliad gorau posibl i lywodraeth leol Cymru, sef prif gyllidwyr ein system addysg, yn ogystal â chynyddu'n sylweddol faint o adnoddau sydd ym mhrif grŵp gwariant addysg. Gallwn wneud cymaint yn rhagor pe bai ei Lywodraeth yn rhoi bargen decach i Gymru.
Thank you for that answer. [Laughter.] NAHT actually blamed you, not us.
Minister, you recently released a progress report on the £36 million grant made available to reduce infant class sizes in Wales. Under the scheme, funding is provided for new school staff or extra school rooms for pupils aged from four to seven years old. However, most schools that appointed teachers to cut infant class sizes say that they will not be able to keep them when this grant ends. Given that reducing class sizes is, in your words,
'a key strand of our national mission to raise standards and extend opportunities',
how do you intend to further reduce class sizes in Wales now?
Diolch am eich ateb. [Chwerthin.] Roedd Cymdeithas Genedlaethol y Prifathrawon yn eich beio chi, nid ni.
Weinidog, yn ddiweddar, fe gyhoeddoch chi adroddiad cynnydd ar y grant o £36 miliwn a ddarparwyd i leihau maint dosbarthiadau babanod yng Nghymru. O dan y cynllun, darperir cyllid ar gyfer staff ysgol newydd neu ystafelloedd ysgol ychwanegol ar gyfer disgyblion rhwng pedair a saith oed. Fodd bynnag, dywed y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion a benododd athrawon i dorri maint dosbarthiadau babanod na fyddant yn gallu eu cadw pan ddaw'r grant hwn i ben. O ystyried bod lleihau maint dosbarthiadau, yn eich geiriau chi,
'yn elfen allweddol o genhadaeth ein cenedl i godi safonau a chreu cyfleoedd i’n holl bobl ifanc',
sut rydych yn bwriadu lleihau maint dosbarthiadau yng Nghymru ymhellach yn awr?
First of all, Presiding Officer, I don't want the Member's thanks for answering his question, what would be more useful to me is if he did something about it and had a conversation with his Westminster colleagues.
With regard to the class sizes reduction fund that we have made available to schools, I'm glad that the Member recognises that, first of all, small class sizes can be really beneficial to teachers and children. He is absolutely right: in the report, teachers have expressed their concern about what will happen once that grant comes to an end. That grant is safe until the end of this particular session of this Senedd. It'll be for the new Senedd to look at the evidence and to listen to teachers and parents about the importance of that grant, and I would hope to see it continue.
Yn gyntaf oll, Lywydd, nid oes arnaf eisiau diolch gan yr Aelod am ateb ei gwestiwn; yr hyn a fyddai’n fwy defnyddiol i mi yw pe bai’n gwneud rhywbeth yn ei gylch ac yn cael sgwrs gyda’i gymheiriaid yn San Steffan.
O ran y gronfa lleihau maint dosbarthiadau rydym wedi'i darparu i ysgolion, rwy'n falch fod yr Aelod yn cydnabod y gall maint dosbarthiadau bach, yn gyntaf oll, fod o fudd mawr i athrawon a phlant. Mae'n llygad ei le: yn yr adroddiad, mae athrawon wedi mynegi eu pryder ynghylch yr hyn a fydd yn digwydd pan ddaw'r grant hwnnw i ben. Mae'r grant yn ddiogel tan ddiwedd sesiwn y Senedd hon. Mater i'r Senedd newydd fydd edrych ar y dystiolaeth a gwrando ar athrawon a rhieni am bwysigrwydd y grant hwnnw, a buaswn yn gobeithio'i weld yn parhau.
Schools are required to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism as part of their safeguarding duties. An Estyn report said recently that most schools had an understanding of their role and responsibilities in this regard; however, in a minority of schools, leaders do not perceive radicalisation and extremism as relevant to their schools or surrounding areas. They went on to say that staff in these schools may miss an opportunity to identify and address early concerns about a pupil. Minister, what action will you take, in the light of Estyn's finding, to ensure all schools in Wales meet their obligations to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism in Wales?
Mae'n ofynnol i ysgolion amddiffyn disgyblion rhag radicaleiddio ac eithafiaeth fel rhan o'u dyletswyddau diogelu. Dywedodd adroddiad Estyn yn ddiweddar fod gan y mwyafrif o ysgolion ddealltwriaeth o’u rôl a’u cyfrifoldebau yn hyn o beth; fodd bynnag, mewn lleiafrif o ysgolion, nid yw arweinwyr o'r farn fod radicaleiddio ac eithafiaeth yn berthnasol i'w hysgolion neu'r ardaloedd cyfagos. Aethant yn eu blaenau i ddweud y gallai staff yn yr ysgolion hyn golli cyfle i nodi a mynd i'r afael â phryderon cynnar am ddisgybl. Weinidog, pa gamau a gymerwch, yng ngoleuni canfyddiad Estyn, i sicrhau bod pob ysgol yng Nghymru yn cyflawni eu rhwymedigaethau i amddiffyn disgyblion rhag radicaleiddio ac eithafiaeth yng Nghymru?
I very much welcome Estyn's thematic report and draw the Member's attention to the good practice in schools already delivering very positive actions, whilst also accepting the recommendations in areas requiring further improvement. For instance, we are funding the Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit, working in partnership with the all-Wales school liaison core programme, to produce videos and resources on preventing radicalisation and extremism to be delivered in schools by our school beat officers. We are currently revising our 'Keeping learners safe' guidance to ensure that any developments in the Prevent agenda are fully reflected. The message that Prevent falls squarely under the safeguarding umbrella is clearly articulated in the updated guidance that we will publish later on this year.
Rwy'n croesawu adroddiad thematig Estyn yn fawr a thynnaf sylw’r Aelod at yr ymarfer da mewn ysgolion sydd eisoes yn cyflawni camau cadarnhaol iawn, er fy mod hefyd yn derbyn yr argymhellion mewn meysydd sydd angen eu gwella ymhellach. Er enghraifft, rydym yn ariannu Uned Eithafiaeth a Gwrthderfysgaeth Cymru, gan weithio mewn partneriaeth â rhaglen graidd cyswllt ysgolion Cymru gyfan, i gynhyrchu fideos ac adnoddau ar atal radicaleiddio ac eithafiaeth i gael eu defnyddio gan ein swyddogion rhawd ysgolion. Ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn adolygu ein canllawiau 'Cadw dysgwyr yn ddiogel' i sicrhau bod unrhyw ddatblygiadau yn agenda Prevent yn cael eu hadlewyrchu'n llawn. Mae'r neges fod Prevent yn dod o dan ymbarél diogelu wedi'i mynegi'n glir yn y diweddariad i'r canllawiau y byddwn yn eu cyhoeddi yn nes ymlaen eleni.
3. Pa gamau y mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod pob awdurdod lleol ac ysgol yn defnyddio'r canllawiau newydd ar siarad am hunanladdiad a hunan-niweidio mewn ysgolion? OAQ55100
3. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that all local authorities and schools are using the new guidance on talking about suicide and self-harm in schools? OAQ55100
Lynne, since you and I launched that guidance in September, hard copies have been distributed to schools, and it's also available online on the Hwb platform and on the Welsh Government website. We are working with partners to raise awareness of this issue as part of our whole-school approach to emotional well-being.
Lynne, ers i chi a minnau lansio'r canllawiau hynny ym mis Medi, mae copïau caled wedi'u dosbarthu i ysgolion, ac maent hefyd ar gael ar-lein ar blatfform Hwb ac ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru. Rydym yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid i godi ymwybyddiaeth o'r mater hwn fel rhan o'n dull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin â lles emosiynol.
Thank you, Minister. And of course, I very much welcome the excellent guidance that has been published. I'm also really pleased that you've made a commitment to including the guidance in the new framework that is being published on a whole-school approach to mental health. But in the meantime, what more can we do to ensure that all schools and all local authorities are aware of the guidance and are actively promoting it?
Diolch, Weinidog. Ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n croesawu'r canllawiau rhagorol sydd wedi’u cyhoeddi. Rwyf hefyd yn falch iawn eich bod wedi ymrwymo i gynnwys y canllawiau yn y fframwaith newydd sy'n cael ei gyhoeddi ar ddull ysgol gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd meddwl. Ond yn y cyfamser, beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i sicrhau bod pob ysgol a phob awdurdod lleol yn ymwybodol o'r canllawiau ac yn mynd ati i'w hyrwyddo?
Lynne, back in September, the existence of the guidance was publicised in our weekly newsletter, Dysg, to all schools. We have used a variety of Welsh Government platforms to draw attention, not just to schools, but to the wider community, of the availability of the guidance. I'm very pleased to say that we've had significant traffic, with regard to clicks, on that particular guidance on our Hwb website, and we've had numerous requests for further copies of the guidance from individual schools. At the end of March, we'll be holding a conference with all secondary school headteachers and I have asked that the event is used to both further promote the availability of the guidance and to consider its usefulness and take-up by those schools.
Lynne, yn ôl ym mis Medi, cafodd y canllawiau gyhoeddusrwydd yn ein cylchlythyr wythnosol, Dysg, i bob ysgol. Rydym wedi defnyddio amrywiaeth o blatfformau Llywodraeth Cymru i dynnu sylw, nid yn unig ysgolion, ond y gymuned ehangach, at argaeledd y canllawiau. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud ein bod wedi cael traffig sylweddol, o ran cliciau, ar y canllawiau penodol hynny ar ein gwefan Hwb, ac rydym wedi cael nifer o geisiadau am gopïau ychwanegol o'r canllawiau gan ysgolion unigol. Ddiwedd mis Mawrth, byddwn yn cynnal cynhadledd gyda phenaethiaid yr holl ysgolion uwchradd ac rwyf wedi gofyn i'r digwyddiad gael ei ddefnyddio i hyrwyddo argaeledd y canllawiau ymhellach ac i ystyried eu defnyddioldeb a'u defnydd gan yr ysgolion hynny.
First of all, Minister, I'd like to thank you and Lynne Neagle for all the work that you are doing in this area, because it is vitally important. Lynne touched on a question that I wanted to bring up, about how we are making sure that it gets out to secondary schools and primary schools, because of course one of the big issues I have concerns over is the use of social media and the way that social media really does drive vulnerable children—particularly at an age when they've got so much happening in their lives. I'd like to see that happen in primary schools, that kind of education on social media.
So, really, I have two questions. The first is to re-emphasise the point that Lynne made about how do you get it through to all of our local authorities. Today, we've had a very disappointing report on Pembrokeshire County Council schools. So, if they're struggling to do educational standards, how are they struggling to do the well-being standards? Secondly, specifically on social media, because I think it does cause so much angst, is there anything more that the Welsh Government can do?
Yn gyntaf oll, Weinidog, hoffwn ddiolch i chi a Lynne Neagle am yr holl waith rydych yn ei wneud yn y maes hwn, gan ei fod yn hanfodol bwysig. Cyfeiriodd Lynne at gwestiwn roeddwn am ei ofyn, ynglŷn â sut rydym yn sicrhau ei fod yn cyrraedd ysgolion uwchradd ac ysgolion cynradd, oherwydd wrth gwrs, un o'r materion mawr y mae gennyf bryderon yn eu cylch yw'r defnydd o gyfryngau cymdeithasol a'r ffordd y mae cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn gyrru plant sy'n agored i niwed—yn enwedig ar oedran pan fo cymaint yn digwydd yn eu bywydau. Hoffwn weld hynny'n digwydd mewn ysgolion cynradd, y math hwnnw o addysg ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol.
Felly, mewn gwirionedd, mae gennyf ddau gwestiwn. Y cyntaf yw ailbwysleisio'r pwynt a wnaeth Lynne ynglŷn â sut rydych yn trosglwyddo hyn i'n holl awdurdodau lleol. Heddiw, cawsom adroddiad siomedig iawn ar ysgolion Cyngor Sir Penfro. Felly, os ydynt yn ei chael hi'n anodd gwneud safonau addysgol, sut y maent yn ei chael hi'n anodd gwneud y safonau llesiant? Yn ail, yn benodol ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, gan y credaf eu bod yn achosi llawer o bryder, a oes unrhyw beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud?
Presiding Officer, I absolutely agree with Angela Burns about the importance of educating our children on the potential harms and the safe use of the internet and social media channels. Just yesterday was Safer Internet Day, as I'm sure the Member was aware, and I was delighted to join finalists in the Welsh Government's Safer Internet Day competition, where both primary and secondary schools had been producing films to highlight the dangers of inappropriate internet and social media use amongst their peers. I'm sure the Presiding Officer would be delighted that it was Ysgol Bro Pedr who won the primary school competition, and I was delighted to meet them and to watch their film yesterday. So, schools are very alive and alert. They're taking very proactive steps to work with their children and students in this regard. And of course, our digital competence framework, which is the first part of our curriculum for reform, focuses very heavily on ensuring that children know how to use social media and digital skills and the internet in a safe way, and what to do if they are unhappy or unsettled by anything that they see, or see other people doing, using those platforms. But you're absolutely right: there is a close correlation between mental ill-health and distress and some of the stuff that our children and young people are accessing online.
Lywydd, cytunaf yn llwyr ag Angela Burns ynghylch pwysigrwydd addysgu ein plant ar niwed posibl a defnydd diogel o'r rhyngrwyd a sianeli cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Ddoe oedd Diwrnod Defnyddio’r Rhyngrwyd yn Fwy Diogel, fel y gŵyr yr Aelod, rwy'n siŵr, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o ymuno â'r rheini a gyrhaeddodd y rownd derfynol yng nghystadleuaeth Diwrnod Defnyddio’r Rhyngrwyd yn Fwy Diogel Llywodraeth Cymru, lle roedd ysgolion cynradd ac uwchradd wedi bod yn cynhyrchu ffilmiau i dynnu sylw at beryglon defnydd amhriodol o'r rhyngrwyd a'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol ymhlith eu cyfoedion. Rwy’n siŵr y byddai’r Llywydd wrth ei bodd mai Ysgol Bro Pedr a enillodd gystadleuaeth yr ysgolion cynradd, ac roeddwn yn falch iawn o gyfarfod â hwy a gwylio eu ffilm ddoe. Felly, mae ysgolion yn fyw ac yn effro iawn i hyn. Maent yn cymryd camau rhagweithiol iawn i weithio gyda'u plant a'u myfyrwyr yn hyn o beth. Ac wrth gwrs, mae ein fframwaith cymhwysedd digidol, sef rhan gyntaf ein cwricwlwm i gael ei diwygio, yn canolbwyntio'n fawr ar sicrhau bod plant yn gwybod sut i ddefnyddio sgiliau digidol a'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol a'r rhyngrwyd mewn ffordd ddiogel, a beth i'w wneud os ydynt yn anhapus neu'n ansicr ynghylch unrhyw beth y maent yn ei weld, neu'n gweld pobl eraill yn ei wneud, gan ddefnyddio'r platfformau hynny. Ond rydych yn llygad eich lle: mae cydberthynas agos rhwng trallod a salwch meddwl a rhywfaint o'r pethau y mae ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yn cael mynediad atynt ar-lein.
4. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyllid ar gyfer darparwyr addysg yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru? OAQ55078
4. Will the Minister make a statement on funding for education providers in north-east Wales? OAQ55078
The draft budget for 2020-21 outlines my priorities for education funding as set out in 'Our national mission', which includes funding for education providers in north-east Wales. This budget continues to be committed to the success and well-being of every learner, regardless of their background or personal circumstances, or whichever part of Wales they are studying and learning in.
Mae'r gyllideb ddrafft ar gyfer 2020-21 yn amlinellu fy mlaenoriaethau ar gyfer cyllid addysg fel y'u nodir yn 'Cenhadaeth ein cenedl', sy'n cynnwys cyllid ar gyfer darparwyr addysg yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru. Mae'r gyllideb hon yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i lwyddiant a lles pob dysgwr, ni waeth beth fo'u cefndir neu eu hamgylchiadau personol, nac ym mha ran o Gymru y maent yn astudio ac yn dysgu.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. With the labour market constantly changing, adults often need to retrain and upskill. This is particularly the case with the need for many to acquire new digital and technical skills. The need for a dedicated regional adult skills budget is clear. Now, this will enable us to properly react to the skills required by employers in north-east Wales and will also help to attract new employers to the area, boosting the local economy. What consideration have you given to funding such a budget for adults over the age of 19 to train full time?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Gyda'r farchnad lafur yn newid yn gyson, mae oedolion yn aml angen ailhyfforddi ac uwchsgilio. Mae hyn yn arbennig o wir gyda'r angen i lawer gaffael sgiliau digidol a thechnegol newydd. Mae'r angen am gyllideb bwrpasol ranbarthol ar gyfer sgiliau oedolion yn glir. Nawr, bydd hyn yn ein galluogi i ymateb yn iawn i'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen ar gyflogwyr yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru a bydd hefyd yn helpu i ddenu cyflogwyr newydd i'r ardal, gan roi hwb i'r economi leol. Pa ystyriaeth rydych wedi'i rhoi i ariannu cyllideb o'r fath ar gyfer oedolion dros 19 oed sydd eisiau hyfforddi'n llawnamser?
Well, Jack, I've recently announced my continued support for the skills development fund. That is £10 million, allocated on a regional basis, to specifically respond to priorities that are identified by the regional skills partnership to ensure that there is an alignment between curriculum and the skills needed in the labour market in a particular area. The SDF is aimed at those learners needing to upskill to improve their employment prospects and, therefore, if digital skills are identified as a key regional priority, this funding can be utilised accordingly by training providers in that area.
You will also be aware, I'm sure, that we are piloting individual learning accounts at present. The ILAs are designed for people who are currently in work but on a relatively low income. That funding is available for them to use again to upskill themselves, and those provisions are also aligned to the regional skills needs as identified by the RSP. So, for instance, whilst not in your particular area, in the Gwent area, digital skills have been acknowledged as something we need to focus on, and the individual learning accounts are there to enable people to access those new digital qualifications to allow them to enhance their career opportunities and prospects.
Wel, Jack, yn ddiweddar cyhoeddais fy nghefnogaeth barhaus i'r gronfa datblygu sgiliau. Mae'n gronfa o £10 miliwn a ddyrennir ar sail ranbarthol i ymateb yn benodol i flaenoriaethau a nodwyd gan y bartneriaeth sgiliau ranbarthol i sicrhau bod cysondeb rhwng y cwricwlwm a'r sgiliau sydd eu hangen yn y farchnad lafur mewn ardal benodol. Mae'r gronfa datblygu sgiliau wedi'i hanelu at ddysgwyr sydd angen uwchsgilio i wella eu rhagolygon cyflogaeth ac felly, os nodir sgiliau digidol fel blaenoriaeth ranbarthol allweddol, gellir defnyddio'r cyllid hwn yn unol â hynny drwy ddarparwyr hyfforddiant yn yr ardal honno.
Fe fyddwch hefyd yn ymwybodol, rwy'n siŵr, ein bod yn treialu cyfrifon dysgu unigol ar hyn o bryd. Mae'r cyfrifon dysgu unigol wedi'u cynllunio ar gyfer pobl sydd mewn gwaith ar hyn o bryd ond sydd ar incwm cymharol isel. Mae'r cyllid hwnnw ar gael iddynt i’w ddefnyddio eto i uwchsgilio, ac mae'r darpariaethau hynny hefyd yn cyd-fynd â'r anghenion sgiliau rhanbarthol fel y’u nodwyd gan y bartneriaeth sgiliau ranbarthol. Felly, er enghraifft, er nad yw yn eich ardal chi, yn ardal Gwent mae sgiliau digidol wedi cael eu cydnabod fel maes y mae angen inni ganolbwyntio arno, ac mae'r cyfrifon dysgu unigol yno i alluogi pobl i gael mynediad at y cymwysterau digidol newydd hynny er mwyn caniatáu iddynt wella eu rhagolygon a’u cyfleoedd gyrfa.
Well, it's now 17 years since secondary headteachers in Flintshire raised concern that they receive one of the lowest school budget settlements in Wales, and they told me about the constant pressures they face managing this while striving for educational excellence. They've continued to receive from Welsh Government every year since one of the lowest settlements—this current year, 2019-20, they got the nineteenth out of 22 overall school budget expenditure per pupil, and eighteenth for delegated budgets per secondary school pupil out of 22 local authorities. What action have you therefore taken, if any, since publication of a report last September showing that seven of the county's 11 secondary schools were in the red, with an overall deficit of nearly £1.5 million, made public shortly after an inspection by education watchdog Estyn found that Flintshire County Council had allowed a small number of schools to carry a shortfall for too long?
Wel, mae bellach yn 17 mlynedd ers i benaethiaid uwchradd yn sir y Fflint fynegi pryder eu bod yn cael un o'r setliadau cyllideb ysgolion isaf yng Nghymru, a dywedasant wrthyf am y pwysau cyson y maent yn ei wynebu yn rheoli hyn wrth ymdrechu am ragoriaeth addysgol. Maent wedi parhau i dderbyn gan Lywodraeth Cymru bob blwyddyn ers un o'r setliadau isaf—y flwyddyn gyfredol hon, 2019-20, roeddent yn safle 19 o'r 22 awdurdod lleol o ran gwariant cyllideb ysgolion cyffredinol y disgybl, a safle 18 o'r 22 awdurdod lleol o ran cyllidebau dirprwyedig y disgybl ysgol uwchradd. Pa gamau rydych wedi'u cymryd felly, os o gwbl, ers cyhoeddi adroddiad fis Medi diwethaf a oedd yn dangos bod nifer o 11 ysgol uwchradd y sir yn y coch gyda diffyg cyffredinol o bron i £1.5 miliwn, a gyhoeddwyd yn fuan ar ôl i archwiliad gan y corff gwarchod addysg, Estyn, ganfod bod Cyngor Sir y Fflint wedi caniatáu i nifer fach o ysgolion fod mewn diffyg am gyfnod rhy hir?
Well, Mark, as you rightly identified, the funding of secondary schools in Flintshire is predominantly a matter for Flintshire County Council. Flintshire are in receipt of a percentage increase in their budget of over 3.5 per cent, and it is for them, now, to decide how best to use those resources.
Wel, Mark, fel rydych yn ei nodi, yn anffodus, mater i Gyngor Sir y Fflint yn bennaf yw cyllido ysgolion uwchradd yn sir y Fflint. Mae sir y Fflint yn derbyn cynnydd canrannol yn eu cyllideb o dros 3.5 y cant, a mater iddynt hwy yn awr yw penderfynu ar y ffordd orau i ddefnyddio'r adnoddau hynny.
I'll catch up with you, Minister, in a moment.
Dof yn ôl atoch, Weinidog, mewn eiliad.
Number 5, I think.
Rhif 5, rwy’n credu.
Cwestwin 5, Llyr Gruffydd.
Question 5, Llyr Gruffydd.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae'n werth aros amdano fe hefyd, os caf i ddweud—[Chwerthin.]
Thank you, Llywydd. It's worth waiting for, if I may say so—[Laughter.]
5. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddiogelu plant sy'n mynychu ysgolion preifat yng Nghymru? OAQ55064
5. Will the Minister make a statement on the safeguarding of children who attend private schools in Wales? OAQ55064
Diolch yn fawr, Llyr. Safeguarding children in all education settings is of paramount importance. Independent schools must exercise their functions in a way that safeguards and promotes the welfare of their pupils, and they must comply with the 'Keeping learners safe' guidance to meet regulatory standards.
Diolch yn fawr, Llyr. Mae amddiffyn plant ym mhob lleoliad addysg o'r pwys mwyaf. Mae’n rhaid i ysgolion annibynnol arfer eu swyddogaethau mewn ffordd sy'n diogelu ac yn hyrwyddo lles eu disgyblion, ac mae’n rhaid iddynt gydymffurfio â chanllawiau 'Cadw dysgwyr yn ddiogel' i fodloni safonau rheoleiddio.
Thank you for your response. I know that you're very aware of the situation that arose at Ruthin School in my region. And before saying any more, I think we should thank Kelly Williams, the Daily Post journalist who did so much to expose the situation there and to bring it to the attention of the wider public, and also to help bring matters to a head. And now that some of those heads that needed to roll have rolled, we need to look forward, of course, and work with the school, but we also need to learn wider lessons from this terrible episode that we encountered at Ruthin.
And it became clear, of course, that independent schools aren't subject to the same rules as local authority schools, and that's of a huge concern, particularly when things, of course, go wrong. Now, some of the things that have been suggested to me that need addressing include making sure that those who teach in independent schools should be registered with the Education Workforce Council. We need to look at ways of ensuring more rigid requirements on councils of management, or governing bodies as most of us would describe them. We really do need representatives who are appointed by local authorities. We need to make sure that there are representatives of teachers and parents and pupils on those bodies. We need to extend the powers of Estyn so that they can remove governors and senior leadership when there are issues around professional concerns.
Now, not all of this is devolved and I appreciate that you wouldn't, maybe, be able to address all of those issues, but I just want to understand what the Welsh Government is now doing to address some of the deficiencies that are clearly in the system so that we can make sure that the experience at Ruthin School isn't one that can happen anywhere else in future.
Diolch am eich ateb. Gwn eich bod yn ymwybodol iawn o'r sefyllfa a gododd yn Ysgol Rhuthun yn fy rhanbarth. A chyn dweud mwy, rwy'n credu y dylem ddiolch i Kelly Williams, newyddiadurwr y Daily Post a wnaeth gymaint i ddatgelu'r sefyllfa yno ac i dynnu sylw'r cyhoedd ehangach ati, a hefyd i helpu i ddod â phethau i ben. A chan fod rhai o'r pennau oedd angen eu torri bellach wedi'u torri, mae angen inni edrych ymlaen, wrth gwrs, a gweithio gyda'r ysgol, ond mae angen i ni hefyd ddysgu gwersi ehangach o'r bennod ofnadwy hon a welsom yn Rhuthun.
A daeth yn amlwg, wrth gwrs, nad yw ysgolion annibynnol yn ddarostyngedig i'r un rheolau ag ysgolion awdurdodau lleol, ac mae hynny'n destun pryder enfawr, yn enwedig pan fydd pethau'n mynd o chwith. Nawr, mae rhai o'r pethau yr awgrymwyd i mi fod angen mynd i'r afael â hwy yn cynnwys sicrhau y dylai'r rhai sy'n dysgu mewn ysgolion annibynnol fod wedi cofrestru gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg. Mae angen inni edrych ar ffyrdd o sicrhau gofynion mwy cadarn i gynghorau rheoli, neu gyrff llywodraethu fel y byddai'r rhan fwyaf ohonom yn eu disgrifio. Mae gwir angen cynrychiolwyr sydd wedi’u penodi gan awdurdodau lleol arnom. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod cynrychiolwyr athrawon a rhieni a disgyblion ar y cyrff hynny. Mae angen inni ymestyn pwerau Estyn fel y gallant ddiswyddo llywodraethwyr ac uwch arweinwyr pan fydd problemau’n codi sy’n ymwneud â phryderon proffesiynol.
Nawr, nid yw hyn i gyd wedi'i ddatganoli ac rwy'n derbyn na fyddech yn gallu mynd i'r afael â'r holl faterion hynny o bosibl, ond rwyf eisiau deall beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud yn awr i fynd i'r afael â rhai o'r diffygion sy'n amlwg yn y system fel y gallwn sicrhau nad yw'r profiad yn Ysgol Rhuthun yn un a all ddigwydd yn unman arall yn y dyfodol.
Can I thank Llyr for raising these issues today and thank him also—? We have been keeping in close touch in recent months, and I know that you have been taking this very seriously in your own region, and I'm grateful for your interest and your diligence in continuing to pursue these issues, Llyr.
You are right, the situation at Ruthin raises some fundamental points about the regulation of the independent school sector. I hope that you will be pleased, Llyr, when I tell you that there are a number of issues that we are looking at at present and hope to make progress on.
Firstly, we are already out to consultation on changing the regulations that will require an independent school to notify its local authority of the pupils who are on the register at that school so that we know exactly who is attending that school. We are also actively looking at the requirement for staff in independent schools to register with the Education Workforce Council, going forward, as well as enhancing the EWC's powers to suspend registrants who they have concerns about. Those pieces of work are live and are actively being taken forward at the moment and I think they will take us one step forward in providing the safeguards that, I'm sure, across the Chamber, we would all want to see in all of our schools, but in this case, independent schools.
A gaf fi ddiolch i Llyr am godi'r materion hyn heddiw a diolch iddo hefyd—? Rydym wedi bod yn cadw mewn cysylltiad agos yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf, a gwn eich bod wedi bod yn edrych ar hyn o ddifrif yn eich rhanbarth, ac rwy'n ddiolchgar am eich diddordeb a'ch diwydrwydd yn parhau i fynd ar drywydd y materion hyn, Llyr.
Rydych chi'n iawn, mae'r sefyllfa yn Rhuthun yn codi rhai pwyntiau sylfaenol ynglŷn â rheoleiddio'r sector ysgolion annibynnol. Gobeithio y byddwch yn falch, Llyr, pan ddywedaf wrthych ein bod yn edrych ar nifer o faterion ar hyn o bryd ac yn gobeithio gwneud cynnydd arnynt.
Yn gyntaf, rydym eisoes yn ymgynghori ar newid y rheoliadau a fydd yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ysgol annibynnol hysbysu ei hawdurdod lleol ynglŷn â'r disgyblion sydd ar y gofrestr yn yr ysgol honno fel ein bod yn gwybod yn union pwy sy'n mynychu'r ysgol. Rydym hefyd wrthi'n edrych ar y gofyniad i staff mewn ysgolion annibynnol gofrestru gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg, wrth symud ymlaen, yn ogystal â gwella pwerau Cyngor y Gweithlu Addysg i atal pobl ar y gofrestr dros dro os oes ganddynt bryderon yn eu cylch. Mae'r gwaith hwnnw ar y gweill ac yn cael eu datblygu ar hyn o bryd ac rwy’n credu y byddant yn mynd â ni gam ymlaen yn y broses o ddarparu'r mesurau diogelwch y byddai pawb ar draws y Siambr am eu gweld ym mhob un o'n hysgolion rwy'n siŵr, ond ysgolion annibynnol yn yr achos hwn.
Like Llyr Huws Gruffydd, I was also very concerned about the situation at Ruthin School, Minister, and I was very grateful for your very firm message in relation to the desirability of the leadership to change at that school in order for it to be able to continue to operate. I think it did make a difference and I think that that was the straw that finally broke the camel's back in terms of moving the principal of that school on. But, of course, as has already been mentioned, unfortunately, because of the regulations, that principal could easily pop up in another independent school somewhere else in Wales, unless there is a change to the requirement to register with the Education Workforce Council. Of course, it's not just teachers; it could be a senior manager, or anybody, indeed, on those sites.
One of the other issues that was exposed by this episode, of course, was the limitations of domestic abuse legislation also, because there were suggestions that there could have been an element of coercive control to some of the messages that had been exchanged with at least one pupil in that school, between the principal and the pupil. Can I ask whether you will be considering this more widely as a Welsh Government? And, if it's not already on your radar, in terms of being, perhaps, able to look at the law in respect of domestic abuse in particular, I do think that this needs to change. An independent school with boarders is effectively in loco parentis when those children are in its care, and yet the domestic abuse legislation doesn't seem to apply to a school as a corporate parent, which I think is inappropriate. So it clearly needs to be looked at. Is this something that you will look at with your Cabinet colleagues to see whether it can also be addressed, in addition to the good work that's already under way with regard to registration with the EWC?
Fel Llyr Huws Gruffydd, roeddwn hefyd yn bryderus iawn am y sefyllfa yn Ysgol Rhuthun, Weinidog, ac roeddwn yn ddiolchgar iawn am eich neges gadarn iawn mewn perthynas â’r dymuniad i newid yr arweinyddiaeth yn yr ysgol honno er mwyn iddi allu parhau i weithredu. Rwy'n credu iddo wneud gwahaniaeth a chredaf mai dyna oedd ei diwedd hi o ran cael gwared ar bennaeth yr ysgol honno. Ond wrth gwrs, fel y crybwyllwyd eisoes, yn anffodus, oherwydd y rheoliadau, gallai'r pennaeth hwnnw ymddangos yn hawdd mewn ysgol annibynnol arall yn rhywle arall yng Nghymru, oni bai bod newid i'r gofyniad i gofrestru gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg. Wrth gwrs, mae'n ymwneud â mwy nag athrawon yn unig; gallai fod yn uwch-reolwr, neu unrhyw un, yn wir, ar y safleoedd hynny.
Un o'r materion eraill a amlygwyd gan y digwyddiad hwn, wrth gwrs, oedd cyfyngiadau deddfwriaeth cam-drin domestig hefyd, oherwydd roedd awgrymiadau y gallai fod elfen o reolaeth orfodol yn rhai o'r negeseuon a gyfnewidiwyd rhwng y pennaeth ac o leiaf un disgybl yn yr ysgol honno. A gaf fi ofyn a fyddwch yn ystyried hyn yn ehangach fel Llywodraeth Cymru? Ac os nad yw eisoes ar eich radar, o ran gallu edrych ar y gyfraith mewn perthynas â cham-drin domestig yn benodol efallai, rwy'n credu bod angen i hyn newid. Mae ysgol annibynnol gyda disgyblion preswyl yn gweithredu in loco parentis i bob pwrpas, pan fo'r plant hynny dan ei gofal, ac eto nid yw'n ymddangos bod y ddeddfwriaeth cam-drin domestig yn berthnasol i ysgol fel rhiant corfforaethol, sy'n amhriodol yn fy marn i. Felly mae'n amlwg bod angen edrych ar hynny. A yw hyn yn rhywbeth y byddwch yn edrych arno gyda'ch cyd-Aelodau Cabinet i weld a ellir mynd i'r afael ag ef hefyd, yn ychwanegol at y gwaith da sydd eisoes yn mynd rhagddo mewn perthynas â chofrestru gyda Chyngor y Gweithlu Addysg?
I am more than happy to look at that specific point, as to the relevance of domestic abuse legislation with regard to schools, but let me be absolutely clear and repeat once again: we already have very comprehensive 'Keeping learners safe' guidance. That is to be complied with by all schools, whether they are maintained or independent. The inability of an independent school to satisfy me of that, then, ultimately, we have the sanction of withdrawing the registration of that school, but I'm more than happy to look at the point that the Member raises.
Rwy’n fwy na pharod i edrych ar y pwynt penodol hwnnw, o ran perthnasedd deddfwriaeth cam-drin domestig mewn perthynas ag ysgolion, ond gadewch imi fod yn hollol glir ac ailadrodd unwaith eto: mae gennym eisoes ganllawiau 'Cadw dysgwyr yn ddiogel' cynhwysfawr iawn. Mae’n rhaid i bob ysgol gydymffurfio â hwy, boed yn ysgolion annibynnol neu’n ysgolion a gynhelir. Os na all ysgol annibynnol fy modloni o ran hynny, yn y pen draw, gallwn ddiddymu cofrestriad yr ysgol honno, ond rwy'n fwy na pharod i edrych ar y pwynt y mae'r Aelod yn ei godi.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 6 [OAQ55099] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 7, felly, Neil Hamilton.
Question 6 [OAQ55099] is withdrawn. Question 7, Neil Hamilton.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am addysgu perthynas mewn ysgolion? OAQ55087
7. Will the Minister provide an update on relationship teaching in schools? OAQ55087
I am committed to ensuring that all young people receive high-quality relationship and sexuality education. That's why relationship and sexuality education will be a mandatory part of our new curriculum.
Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod pob person ifanc yn cael addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb o ansawdd uchel. Dyna pam y bydd addysg cydberthynas a rhywioldeb yn rhan orfodol o'n cwricwlwm newydd.
The Minister is a massive supporter of the European Convention on Human Rights, and article 2 of protocol 1 says that if the state exercises any functions in relation to education and teaching, it
'shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.'
What she's just said, of course, rides coach and horses through that protocol. This is part of a trend now with the Welsh Government of ignoring the rights of parents and ordinary people. We saw it in relation to the smacking ban as well; both polling and consultation results were overwhelmingly against restricting the role of parents in bringing up their own children. So, is the Minister telling me that one of the great advantages of devolution is that people's opinions can be ignored at a more local level in Cardiff, rather than in London?
Mae'r Gweinidog yn frwd ei chefnogaeth i’r Confensiwn Ewropeaidd ar Hawliau Dynol, ac mae erthygl 2 o brotocol 1 yn dweud, os yw'r wladwriaeth yn arfer unrhyw swyddogaethau mewn perthynas ag addysg ac addysgu, y bydd yn
'parchu hawl rhieni i sicrhau addysg ac addysgu o'r fath yn unol â'u hargyhoeddiadau crefyddol ac athronyddol eu hunain.'
Mae'r hyn y mae newydd ei ddweud, wrth gwrs, yn chwalu’r protocol hwnnw. Mae hyn yn rhan o duedd Llywodraeth Cymru o anwybyddu hawliau rhieni a phobl gyffredin. Gwelsom hyn mewn perthynas â'r gwaharddiad ar smacio hefyd; roedd canlyniadau arolygon barn ac ymgynghori yn llethol yn erbyn cyfyngu ar rôl rhieni wrth fagu eu plant eu hunain. Felly, a yw'r Gweinidog yn dweud wrthyf mai un o fanteision mawr datganoli yw y gellir anwybyddu barn pobl yn fwy lleol yng Nghaerdydd, yn hytrach nag yn Llundain?
Presiding Officer, the Member is right: this is a rights issue. It is a children's rights issue, and all children have the right to receive education that will keep them safe from harm, that will protect them and will give them the skills and the knowledge that they need to become healthy, confident individuals. And that approach to children's rights lies at the heart of my decision.
We've just heard from another Member of the importance of coercive control and ensuring that our children and young people know what that looks like, and what to do if it happens to them. It is exactly examples like that that means we have to ensure that all children have the right to receive these lessons going forward.
Lywydd, mae'r Aelod yn iawn: mae hwn yn fater sy’n ymwneud â hawliau. Mae'n ymwneud â hawliau plant, ac mae gan bob plentyn hawl i gael addysg a fydd yn eu cadw'n ddiogel rhag niwed, a fydd yn eu hamddiffyn ac yn darparu'r wybodaeth a’r sgiliau y maent eu hangen i ddod yn unigolion iach, hyderus. Ac mae'r agwedd honno at hawliau plant yn ganolog i fy mhenderfyniad.
Rydym newydd glywed gan Aelod arall am bwysigrwydd rheolaeth orfodol a sicrhau bod ein plant a'n pobl ifanc yn gwybod beth ydyw, a beth i'w wneud os yw'n digwydd iddynt hwy. Enghreifftiau fel hynny sy'n golygu bod rhaid inni sicrhau bod gan bob plentyn hawl i gael y gwersi hyn wrth symud ymlaen.
Minister, aside from the statutory age ranges that are set out with regard to the five to 16 and the different ages that children will receive sex education, relationship education, I think you're on record previously as saying that there will be a certain amount of credence given to the developmental point of children within that cycle. So, perhaps there is a way, a compromise solution too here, where, on the one hand, yes, you are providing children with the education that you say is their right to receive, but at the same time parents' views and the developmental point at which an individual child is at are also taken into account to make sure that children aren't receiving education that is inappropriate for them particularly at a point in time.
Weinidog, heblaw am yr ystodau oedran statudol a nodir mewn perthynas â phump i 16 oed a'r gwahanol oedrannau y bydd plant yn cael addysg rhyw, addysg cydberthynas, rwy'n credu eich bod wedi eich cofnodi'n dweud o'r blaen y rhoddir rhywfaint o sylw i bwynt datblygiadol plant o fewn y cylch hwnnw. Felly, efallai fod yna ffordd, neu gyfaddawd yma hefyd, lle rydych chi ar y naill law yn darparu'r addysg y credwch chi fod ganddynt hawl iddi i blant, ond ar yr un pryd, fod barn rhieni a phwynt datblygiadol plentyn unigol hefyd yn cael eu hystyried i sicrhau nad yw plant yn cael addysg sy'n amhriodol iddynt, ar adeg benodol.
I want to reassure the Member that it is more than just credence that we're giving to the age appropriateness of lessons in this part of the curriculum. It is absolutely fundamental that these lessons are delivered in an age and developmentally-appropriate way for children. I recognise that there may be some nervousness, concerns and sensitivities in this regard. That's why, as we move towards the implementation of the new curriculum, I have set up an involvement group that has parental representatives on it. That group met for the first time just last week and will provide a really valuable vehicle for us to be able to continue to work with interested parties as we develop guidance in this area, and content in this area, to reassure parents that what we propose that their children learn about is, indeed, age appropriate and is done in a way that is sensitive and is respectful of the fact that children reach levels of maturity at different points.
Rwyf eisiau sicrhau'r Aelod ein bod yn rhoi llawer o sylw i ba mor addas i oedran plant yw gwersi yn y rhan hon o'r cwricwlwm. Mae'n gwbl hanfodol fod y gwersi hyn yn cael eu cyflwyno mewn ffordd sy’n briodol i oedran a datblygiad plant. Rwy'n cydnabod y gallai fod rhywfaint o nerfusrwydd, pryderon a sensitifrwydd yn hyn o beth. Dyna pam, wrth inni symud tuag at weithredu'r cwricwlwm newydd, rwyf wedi sefydlu grŵp cynnwys sydd â chynrychiolwyr rhieni yn aelodau ohono. Cyfarfu’r grŵp hwnnw am y tro cyntaf yr wythnos diwethaf a bydd yn gyfrwng gwerthfawr iawn inni allu parhau i weithio gyda rhai sydd â diddordeb wrth inni ddatblygu arweiniad a chynnwys yn y maes hwn, i dawelu meddwl rhieni fod y pethau rydym yn argymell y dylai plant ddysgu amdanynt yn briodol i'w hoedran ac yn cael ei wneud mewn ffordd sy'n sensitif ac sy'n parchu’r ffaith bod plant yn cyrraedd lefelau aeddfedrwydd ar wahanol adegau.
8. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am argaeledd prawf i wneud diagnosis o ddyslecsia ar gyfer plant sy'n siarad Cymraeg? OAQ55072
8. Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of a test to diagnose dyslexia for Welsh-speaking children? OAQ55072
Thank you, Andrew. I am committed to supporting learners with special educational needs, such as dyslexia, within Welsh-medium education. Our additional learning needs reforms aim to create a bilingual system of support for learners. The availability of Welsh-medium resources is being considered as part of our ALN transformation programme.
Diolch, Andrew. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i gefnogi dysgwyr ag anghenion addysgol arbennig, fel dyslecsia, mewn addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg. Nod ein diwygiadau anghenion dysgu ychwanegol yw creu system o gefnogaeth ddwyieithog i ddysgwyr. Mae argaeledd adnoddau cyfrwng Cymraeg dan ystyriaeth fel rhan o'n rhaglen drawsnewid ADY.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. It is a fact that, in most classes, three children will have dyslexia of some shape or form. It is quite alarming, I have to say, to find that whilst there's a screening test, there's not a diagnostic test for children who use the medium of Welsh. I hear that your department is taking some action to understand what the needs are, but can you offer us any comfort that there might well be some assistance in this particular area before this Assembly goes into dissolution next year? Because at the moment, a huge cohort of children the length and breadth of Wales, especially as Welsh-medium education increases, are being disadvantaged and that disadvantage will carry on throughout their lives unless they get the support they need through the education system.
Diolch am eich ateb, Weinidog. Mae'n ffaith y bydd gan dri phlentyn ddyslecsia o ryw fath yn y rhan fwyaf o ddosbarthiadau. Mae'n eithaf brawychus, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, er bod prawf sgrinio, nad oes prawf diagnostig ar gyfer plant sy'n defnyddio'r Gymraeg. Rwy'n clywed bod eich adran yn rhoi rhai camau ar waith i ddeall beth yw'r anghenion, ond a allwch chi gynnig unrhyw gysur inni y gallai fod rhywfaint o gymorth yn y maes penodol hwn cyn diddymu'r Cynulliad y flwyddyn nesaf? Oherwydd ar hyn o bryd, mae carfan enfawr o blant ar hyd a lled Cymru, yn enwedig wrth i addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg gynyddu, dan anfantais a bydd yr anfantais honno’n parhau drwy gydol eu hoes oni bai eu bod yn cael y gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen arnynt drwy'r system addysg.
Well, Andrew, as the mother of two dyslexic children who have received their education in the Welsh medium, this is an issue that is really personally important to me. You are correct to say that a dyslexia screening test for learners between six years and six months and 11 years and five months is available in Welsh from Dyslexia Wales, and that particular screening test provides a profile of a learner's strengths and weaknesses that can be used to inform development and support for learners going forward.
A dyslexia screening test for learners between four years and six months and six years and five months has been translated into Welsh, but, again, there are certain constraints and disadvantages to that approach. I can give you my commitment that my officials are working with the sector to be able to identify different ways and better ways and better approaches to ensure both equity and excellence in this regard.
Wel, Andrew, fel mam i ddau o blant dyslecsig sydd wedi cael eu haddysg drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg, mae hwn yn fater sy'n wirioneddol bwysig i mi yn bersonol. Rydych yn gywir i ddweud bod prawf sgrinio dyslecsia ar gyfer dysgwyr rhwng chwe mlwydd a chwe mis oed ac 11 mlwydd a phum mis oed ar gael yn Gymraeg gan Dyslecsia Cymru, ac mae'r prawf sgrinio hwnnw'n darparu proffil o gryfderau a gwendidau dysgwyr y gellir ei ddefnyddio i lywio datblygiad a chymorth i ddysgwyr wrth symud ymlaen.
Mae prawf sgrinio dyslecsia ar gyfer dysgwyr rhwng pedair mlwydd a chwe mis oed a chwe mlwydd a phum mis oed wedi'i gyfieithu i'r Gymraeg, ond unwaith eto, mae rhai cyfyngiadau ac anfanteision i'r dull hwnnw. Gallaf roi ymrwymiad i chi fod fy swyddogion yn gweithio gyda'r sector i allu nodi gwahanol ffyrdd a ffyrdd gwell a dulliau gwell o sicrhau tegwch a rhagoriaeth yn hyn o beth.
9. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am gyfraddau presenoldeb mewn ysgolion yn Abertawe? OAQ55080
9. Will the Minister make a statement on school attendance rates in Swansea? OAQ55080
Diolch, Dai. The latest statistics on school absenteeism by pupils of compulsory school age in all maintained primary and special schools in Wales, which were published in December, show that Swansea's overall attendance rate is 94.4 per cent, which is just above average compared to the rest of Wales, which is 94.3 per cent.
Diolch, Dai. Mae'r ystadegau diweddaraf ar absenoldeb disgyblion oedran ysgol gorfodol ym mhob ysgol gynradd ac ysgol arbennig a gynhelir yng Nghymru a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Rhagfyr, yn dangos bod cyfradd presenoldeb cyffredinol Abertawe yn 94.4 y cant, sydd ychydig yn uwch na'r cyfartaledd o'i gymharu â gweddill Cymru, sef 94.3 y cant.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. Clearly, school attendance is vital if pupils are to achieve their potential, but in looking at the local data in Swansea in more detail, what is absolutely apparent is that despite efforts by both Welsh Government and the local authority, there remains a stark contrast in school attendance rates between relatively affluent areas such as Bishopston and Pennard, at over 96 per cent attendance, and less affluent areas such as Townhill and Mayhill, where attendance rates are around 91 per cent.
Estyn has consistently made recommendations to the effect that local authorities need to create strong links between schools and supporting services, including community groups, social services and the education welfare service, which can obviously assist in engaging and supporting vulnerable families. However, attendance is not where we would want it to be in some schools still. Do you accept that this is an area that needs additional attention and additional resource, and what steps are you taking to ensure that children in the poorest parts of Swansea do not continue to suffer in this regard?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Yn amlwg, mae presenoldeb ysgol yn hanfodol os yw disgyblion am gyflawni eu potensial, ond wrth edrych ar y data lleol yn Abertawe yn fwy manwl, yr hyn sy'n hollol amlwg yw, er gwaethaf ymdrechion Llywodraeth Cymru a'r awdurdod lleol, mae cyferbyniad llwyr o hyd yng nghyfraddau presenoldeb ysgolion rhwng ardaloedd cymharol gefnog fel Llandeilo Ferwallt a Phennard, gyda phresenoldeb o dros 96 y cant, ac ardaloedd llai cefnog fel Townhill a Mayhill, lle mae'r cyfraddau presenoldeb oddeutu 91 y cant.
Mae Estyn wedi gwneud argymhellion yn gyson i'r perwyl fod angen i awdurdodau lleol greu cysylltiadau cryf rhwng ysgolion a gwasanaethau cynnal, gan gynnwys grwpiau cymunedol, gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a'r gwasanaeth lles addysg, a all yn amlwg gynorthwyo i gefnogi ac ymgysylltu â theuluoedd sy'n agored i niwed. Fodd bynnag, nid yw presenoldeb wedi cyrraedd y lefel y byddem yn ei hoffi mewn rhai ysgolion o hyd. A ydych yn derbyn bod hwn yn faes sydd angen sylw ychwanegol ac adnoddau ychwanegol, a pha gamau rydych yn eu cymryd i sicrhau nad yw plant yn rhannau tlotaf Abertawe yn parhau i ddioddef yn hyn o beth?
You're absolutely right, Dai, to point to a trend not just in Swansea but across Wales, that there is a great propensity to absenteeism in schools that work with our most disadvantaged and deprived communities. Understanding the needs of individual learners and providing the right support at the right time to ensure that they access school can make all the difference. As you quite rightly outline, it is that regular attendance at school that will have a dramatic effect on the ability of that child to gain the most out of education and fulfil their potential.
Just one way in which we are looking to support this, the newest element of our pupil development grant, the access element, has been introduced to directly support parents and carers with some of the costs of the school day, which could be a reason why sometimes children don't feel able to go to school, whether that's because they haven't got the correct uniform or they haven't got the correct kit, the correct school equipment, that could be a real barrier to them going in.
We've also worked with Children in Wales to produce guides for schools around being cognisant of how decisions a school can make can influence a child coming to school. So, for instance, whilst there are lots of opportunities to be had from celebrating World Book Day, the pressure on a parent to provide a costume for that child may mean that's a day that the child does not go into school. So, being aware of some of these decisions, and how the school organises itself, can make a significant difference. That's not to say that schools can't be creative. I recently visited a school in the Ogmore constituency that plays a full part in World Book Day—they just have a wardrobe full of costumes that children can come into school and choose from so they don't feel the need to be excluded from those activities. So, we do need schools, local authorities, as well as Welsh Government, to be cognisant of those barriers and work collectively to break those barriers down.
Rydych yn llygad eich lle, Dai, i dynnu sylw at duedd nid yn unig yn Abertawe ond ledled Cymru, fod mwy o dueddiad tuag at absenoldeb mewn ysgolion sy'n gweithio gyda'n cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig. Mae deall anghenion dysgwyr unigol a darparu'r gefnogaeth gywir ar yr adeg gywir i sicrhau eu bod yn mynychu'r ysgol yn gallu gwneud byd o wahaniaeth. Fel yr amlinellwch yn hollol gywir, bydd presenoldeb rheolaidd yn yr ysgol yn cael effaith ddramatig ar allu'r plentyn i gael y gorau o addysg a chyflawni ei botensial.
Un ffordd rydym yn edrych arni i gefnogi hyn yw drwy elfen fwyaf newydd ein grant datblygu disgyblion, yr elfen fynediad, sydd wedi'i chyflwyno i gynorthwyo rhieni a gofalwyr yn uniongyrchol gyda rhai o gostau'r diwrnod ysgol, a allai fod yn rheswm pam fod plant yn teimlo na allant fynd i’r ysgol weithiau, boed hynny oherwydd nad oes ganddynt wisg ysgol gywir neu oherwydd nad oes ganddynt y cit cywir, yr offer ysgol cywir, a gallai hynny fod yn rhwystr go iawn iddynt rhag mynychu’r ysgol.
Rydym wedi gweithio gyda Plant yng Nghymru hefyd i gynhyrchu canllawiau i ysgolion ynglŷn â gwybod sut y gall penderfyniadau y gall ysgol eu gwneud ddylanwadu ar blentyn sy'n dod i'r ysgol. Felly, er enghraifft, er bod llawer o gyfleoedd i'w cael o ddathlu Diwrnod y Llyfr, gall y pwysau ar riant i ddarparu gwisg ar gyfer eu plentyn olygu na fydd y plentyn yn mynd i’r ysgol y diwrnod hwnnw. Felly, gall bod yn ymwybodol o rai o'r penderfyniadau hyn a sut y mae'r ysgol yn trefnu ei hun wneud gwahaniaeth sylweddol. Nid yw hynny'n golygu na all ysgolion fod yn greadigol. Yn ddiweddar, ymwelais ag ysgol yn etholaeth Ogwr sy'n chwarae rhan lawn yn Niwrnod y Llyfr—mae ganddynt gwpwrdd dillad yn llawn o wisgoedd y gall plant ddod i'r ysgol a dewis o'u plith fel nad ydynt yn teimlo bod angen iddynt gael eu heithrio o'r gweithgareddau hynny. Felly, mae angen i ysgolion, awdurdodau lleol, yn ogystal â Llywodraeth Cymru, fod yn ymwybodol o'r rhwystrau a chydweithio i'w chwalu.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog.
Thank you, Minister.
Mae'r cwestiynau nesaf, felly, i'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Jayne Bryant.
The next questions are to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and the first question is from Jayne Bryant.
1. A wnaiff y Gweinidog amlinellu sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi'r defnydd o'r celfyddydau i wella iechyd a lles mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol? OAQ55095
1. Will the Minister outline how the Welsh Government is supporting the use of arts to improve health and well-being in social care settings? OAQ55095
Arts-based initiatives can play an important role in improving the health and well-being outcomes of people in care settings. That is why we are supporting arts-based projects, including through the integrated care fund and Age Cymru's healthy ageing programme.
Gall mentrau'n seiliedig ar y celfyddydau chwarae rhan bwysig yn gwella canlyniadau iechyd a llesiant pobl mewn lleoliadau gofal. Dyna pam ein bod yn cefnogi prosiectau sy'n seiliedig ar y celfyddydau, gan gynnwys drwy'r gronfa gofal integredig a rhaglen heneiddio'n iach Age Cymru.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. The cross-party group on arts and health, which I chair, has been looking at areas of good practice around Wales. In our meetings, we've seen some innovative examples of how arts-based activities are being delivered in social care settings across Wales to improve people's physical and mental well-being. One such example has been Age Cymru's six-year programme cARTrefu. It aims to improve access to quality arts experiences for older people in residential care. Artists deliver weekly creative sessions with residents, staff and family members over eight to 12 weeks, inspiring and reigniting a passion for creativity. Since 2015, nearly 2,000 two-hour sessions have been delivered in over 25 per cent of the care homes across Wales, making it the largest project of its kind across Europe.
As demand on social care services across Wales continues to rise, and with a growing understanding of the importance of the arts on health and well-being, support and expansion of projects like cARTrefu are important. Would the Deputy Minister endeavour to look at the good practice that is taking place and how to properly embed this work in our care settings? I'd also like to extend an invitation to the Deputy Minister to attend one of our cross-party groups to hear about some of the excellent collaborative work that's going on.
Diolch, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Mae'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar gelfyddydau ac iechyd a gadeirir gennyf wedi bod yn edrych ar feysydd ymarfer da o amgylch Cymru. Yn ein cyfarfodydd, rydym wedi gweld enghreifftiau arloesol o sut y mae gweithgareddau celfyddydol yn cael eu darparu mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol ledled Cymru i wella llesiant corfforol a meddyliol pobl. Un enghraifft o'r fath oedd rhaglen chwe blynedd Age Cymru, cARTrefu. Ei nod yw gwella mynediad at brofiadau celfyddydol o ansawdd i bobl hŷn mewn gofal preswyl. Mae artistiaid yn cyflwyno sesiynau creadigol wythnosol gyda phreswylwyr, staff ac aelodau o'r teulu dros wyth i 12 wythnos, gan ysbrydoli ac ailgynnau angerdd am greadigrwydd. Ers 2015, mae bron i 2,000 o sesiynau dwy awr wedi cael eu darparu mewn dros 25 y cant o'r cartrefi gofal ledled Cymru, sy’n golygu mai hwnnw yw’r prosiect mwyaf o'i fath ar draws Ewrop.
Wrth i'r galw ar wasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol ledled Cymru barhau i gynyddu, a chyda dealltwriaeth gynyddol o bwysigrwydd y celfyddydau i iechyd a llesiant, mae cefnogi ac ehangu prosiectau fel cARTrefu yn bwysig. A wnaiff y Dirprwy Weinidog edrych ar yr ymarfer da sy'n digwydd a sut y gellir ymgorffori'r gwaith hwn yn briodol yn ein lleoliadau gofal? Hoffwn estyn gwahoddiad i'r Dirprwy Weinidog fynychu un o'n grwpiau trawsbleidiol i glywed am beth o'r gwaith cydweithredol rhagorol sy'n digwydd.
I'd like to thank Jayne Bryant for her question and for her work on the cross-party group on the arts and health. I was a member of that group and I know what important work it does and how important the arts are for health, and I'd be very pleased to come to one of the meetings.
Obviously, one of the challenges to enable arts to happen in social care settings is cost, and I'm very pleased that the Welsh Government is continuing to support Age Cymru's healthy ageing programme. Yesterday I published the loneliness and isolation strategy, which commits the Welsh Government to working with the Arts Council of Wales to continue to raise awareness of the health and well-being benefits of participating in the arts, and this is obviously so important in social care settings. And in addition, the Arts Council of Wales will explore the role that arts on prescription can play, particularly in preventing loneliness and isolation.
And I'd like to finish, really, by saying I'm aware of the role that Jayne Bryant plays in supporting the arts in the community from my visit to Derwen Pobl housing complex, meeting the Reality Theatre yesterday.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Jayne Bryant am ei chwestiwn ac am ei gwaith yn y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar y celfyddydau ac iechyd. Roeddwn yn aelod o'r grŵp hwnnw ac rwy'n gwybod am y gwaith pwysig y mae'n ei wneud a pha mor bwysig yw'r celfyddydau i iechyd, a buaswn yn falch iawn o ddod i un o'r cyfarfodydd.
Yn amlwg, un o'r heriau i alluogi'r celfyddydau i ddigwydd mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol yw cost, ac rwy'n falch iawn fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi rhaglen heneiddio'n iach Age Cymru. Ddoe, cyhoeddais y strategaeth unigrwydd ac arwahanrwydd, sy’n ymrwymo Llywodraeth Cymru i weithio gyda Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i barhau i godi ymwybyddiaeth o’r manteision iechyd a llesiant sy’n deillio o gymryd rhan yn y celfyddydau, ac mae hyn yn amlwg mor bwysig mewn lleoliadau gofal cymdeithasol. Ac ar ben hynny, bydd Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru'n archwilio'r rôl y gall celfyddydau ar bresgripsiwn ei chwarae, yn enwedig wrth atal unigrwydd ac arwahanrwydd.
A hoffwn gloi, a dweud y gwir, drwy ddweud fy mod yn ymwybodol o'r rôl y mae Jayne Bryant yn ei chwarae wrth gefnogi'r celfyddydau yn y gymuned o fy ymweliad ag adeiladau Derwen Pobl, a chyfarfod â'r Reality Theatre ddoe.
Deputy Minister, engaging in arts activities empowers people living with dementia and enriches life for them and those who are around them. The charity, Arts 4 Dementia, helps develop activities at art venues to re-energise and inspire people in the early stages of dementia and their carers so that those who need it will be able to find artistic stimulation in their chosen art form close to where they live. Deputy Minister, what support and encouragement is the Welsh Government providing to organisations such as Arts 4 Dementia to enable people living with dementia in Wales to live more fulfilled and active lives for longer at home and in the community they live?
Ddirprwy Weinidog, mae cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau celfyddydol yn grymuso pobl sy'n byw gyda dementia ac yn cyfoethogi bywyd iddynt hwy a'r rhai sydd o'u cwmpas. Mae'r elusen, Arts 4 Dementia, yn helpu i ddatblygu gweithgareddau mewn lleoliadau celf i fywiogi ac ysbrydoli pobl yng nghamau cynnar dementia a'u gofalwyr fel bod y rhai sydd ei angen yn gallu dod o hyd i ysgogiad artistig ar ffurf celf o'u dewis yn agos at ble maent yn byw. Ddirprwy Weinidog, pa gefnogaeth ac anogaeth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu darparu i sefydliadau fel Arts 4 Dementia i alluogi pobl sy'n byw gyda dementia yng Nghymru i fyw bywydau mwy cyflawn ac egnïol am gyfnod hwy yn eu cartref ac yn y gymuned y maent yn byw ynddi?
I thank Mohammad Asghar for that question, and I think he makes a very important point—how important it is for people with dementia to live as near to their homes as possible and to have the opportunity of benefiting from the arts. He'll be aware of the dementia action plan for Wales from 2018 to 2022, which sets out our vision for Wales to be a dementia-friendly nation and that absolutely recognises the rights of people with dementia to live as independently as possible. Through the implementation of the plan, we're trying to develop community approaches that will provide more opportunities for people who are affected by dementia to be involved in activities, including participation in culture and the arts. I always remember, when I think about the area of dementia and the arts, the fantastic work of the Forget-me-Not choirs, which the Member may have attended, where somebody with dementia and their carer both take part in singing, and the words all come back of the old songs to the person suffering with dementia who may not be able to communicate in any other way. So, I think there is huge power in the arts to help people with dementia.
Diolch i Mohammad Asghar am y cwestiwn hwnnw, a chredaf ei fod yn gwneud pwynt pwysig iawn—pa mor bwysig yw hi i bobl â dementia fyw mor agos at eu cartrefi â phosibl a chael cyfle i elwa o'r celfyddydau. Fe fydd yn ymwybodol o gynllun gweithredu Cymru ar gyfer dementia rhwng 2018 a 2022, sy'n nodi ein gweledigaeth i Gymru fod yn genedl sy'n deall dementia ac sy'n cydnabod hawl pobl â dementia i fyw mor annibynnol â phosibl. Drwy roi'r cynllun ar waith, rydym yn ceisio datblygu dulliau cymunedol a fydd yn darparu mwy o gyfleoedd i bobl yr effeithir arnynt gan ddementia i gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau, gan gynnwys cyfranogi mewn diwylliant a'r celfyddydau. Rwyf bob amser yn cofio, wrth feddwl am faes dementia a'r celfyddydau, am waith gwych y corau Forget-me-Not, y gallai'r aelod fod wedi eu mynychu, lle mae rhywun â dementia a'u gofalwr ill dau'n cymryd rhan yn y canu ac mae'r person sy'n dioddef o ddementia yn cofio geiriau'r hen ganeuon er nad yw, o bosibl, yn gallu cyfathrebu mewn unrhyw ffordd arall. Felly, rwy'n credu bod grym enfawr yn y celfyddydau i helpu pobl â dementia.
2. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am ddarparu gwasanaethau mân anafiadau yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru? OAQ55077
2. Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of minor injuries services in north-east Wales? OAQ55077
Yes. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has established a pan-health board group to assess the scope of minor injury services across north Wales to ensure standardisation and to reduce demand on busy emergency departments within north Wales.
Gwnaf. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr wedi sefydlu grŵp ar draws y bwrdd iechyd i asesu cwmpas gwasanaethau mân anafiadau ledled gogledd Cymru er mwyn sicrhau bod safoni'n digwydd a lleihau'r pwysau ar adrannau achosion brys prysur yng ngogledd Cymru.
Thank you, Minister. The Welsh Government's Choose Well campaign rightly urges people to only use accident and emergency departments as and when they need to. It also helps them to choose and advises them to choose other healthcare services where appropriate, such as those provided by community pharmacies, general practitioner surgeries or through minor injuries services. Llywydd, a minor injuries unit in Deeside hospital in my constituency would help my residents choose well, as would fully staffed GP surgeries open at accessible hours right across my constituency. So, Minister, will you do all in your power to make sure that the health board properly considers this request for a minor injuries unit in Deeside and also looks at improving GP provision, right across Alyn and Deeside?
Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Mae ymgyrch Dewis Doeth Llywodraeth Cymru yn annog pobl yn briodol i ddefnyddio adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn ôl yr angen yn unig. Mae hefyd yn eu helpu i ddewis ac yn eu cynghori i ddewis gwasanaethau gofal iechyd eraill lle bo hynny'n briodol, megis y rhai a ddarperir gan fferyllfeydd cymunedol, meddygfeydd meddygon teulu neu wasanaethau mân anafiadau. Lywydd, byddai uned mân anafiadau yn ysbyty Glannau Dyfrdwy yn fy etholaeth i yn helpu fy nhrigolion i i ddewis yn ddoeth, yn yr un ffordd ag y byddai sicrhau bod meddygfeydd yn cael eu staffio'n llawn ac ar agor yn ystod oriau hygyrch ar draws fy etholaeth. Felly, Weinidog, a wnewch chi bopeth yn eich gallu i sicrhau bod y bwrdd iechyd yn ystyried y cais hwn am uned mân anafiadau yng Nglannau Dyfrdwy yn briodol, ac yn edrych hefyd ar wella darpariaeth meddygon teulu ar draws Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy?
Yes, I'm aware. In fact, the Member has taken the opportunity to raise this issue with me in the past and does so again, as he should do. There is current work that is already ongoing within north Wales to review minor injuries provision, as I indicated. Within the last two years, there have been about 20,000 minor injuries attendances at the Wrexham Maelor emergency department—a significant number of people going there. They've actually put in additional support, both with general practice and also advanced nurse practitioner support within Wrexham from the start of November last year. I think part of this journey is not only to understand what that means in terms of releasing pressure, but also to keep an open mind about the issues the Member is raising, whether it's Deeside or another area that is relevant, and that is being considered as part of the review. So, I'm very clear that not only is the review the right thing to do, but there also is a need to engage with local representatives, like the Member, to have an open conversation about the data and the information they've got and any potential choices they make to make this a much more accessible service for people right across the north-east of Wales.
Ie, rwy'n ymwybodol. A dweud y gwir, mae'r Aelod wedi manteisio ar y cyfle i godi'r mater hwn gyda mi yn y gorffennol ac mae'n gwneud hynny eto, fel y dylai. Mae gwaith eisoes yn mynd rhagddo yng ngogledd Cymru i adolygu'r ddarpariaeth mân anafiadau, fel y dywedais. O fewn y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, cafwyd tua 20,000 o achosion o fân anafiadau yn adran achosion brys Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam—nifer sylweddol o bobl yn mynd yno. Mewn gwirionedd, maent wedi rhoi cymorth ychwanegol, mewn ymarfer cyffredinol yn ogystal â chymorth uwch-ymarferwyr nyrsio yn Wrecsam o ddechrau mis Tachwedd y llynedd. Rwy'n credu bod rhan o'r daith hon yn ymwneud â deall beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran lleddfu pwysau, yn ogystal â chadw meddwl agored am y problemau y mae'r Aelod yn eu codi, boed yng Nglannau Dyfrdwy neu mewn ardal arall sy'n berthnasol, ac mae hynny'n cael ei ystyried fel rhan o'r adolygiad. Felly, rwy'n glir iawn mai'r adolygiad yw'r peth iawn i'w wneud, a bod angen ymgysylltu â chynrychiolwyr lleol hefyd, fel yr Aelod, i gael sgwrs agored ynglŷn â'r data a'r wybodaeth sydd ganddynt ac unrhyw ddewisiadau posibl a wnânt i sicrhau bod hwn yn wasanaeth llawer mwy hygyrch i bobl ar draws gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru.
According to Betsi Cadwaladr's website, there are, I think, five minor injury units identified, other than A&E units, across the north Wales regional constituency. Luckily for me, one of them is in Mold, but most people aren't so lucky. Of course, in accordance with Welsh Government policy, in 2013 Betsi Cadwaladr closed five others—Colwyn Bay, Ruthin, Llangollen, Flint and Chirk—despite local campaigns to retain them and despite repeated warnings that this would place extra pressure on our A&E departments and GP practices. Of course, this is exactly what's happened. So, given your comments a few moments ago, what consideration are you giving to perhaps restoring minor injury units to the communities that lost them or that are accessible to them in other communities nearby?
Yn ôl gwefan Betsi Cadwaladr, credaf fod pum uned mân anafiadau wedi'u nodi, ar wahân i unedau damweiniau ac achosion brys, ar draws rhanbarth gogledd Cymru. Yn ffodus i mi, mae un ohonynt yn yr Wyddgrug, ond nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o bobl mor lwcus. Wrth gwrs, yn unol â pholisi Llywodraeth Cymru, caeodd Betsi Cadwaladr bump arall yn 2013—Bae Colwyn, Rhuthun, Llangollen, y Fflint a'r Waun—er gwaethaf ymgyrchoedd lleol i'w cadw ac er gwaethaf sawl rhybudd y byddai hynny'n rhoi pwysau ychwanegol ar ein hadrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys a'n meddygfeydd meddygon teulu. Wrth gwrs, dyna'n union a ddigwyddodd. Felly, o ystyried eich sylwadau ychydig funudau yn ôl, pa ystyriaeth rydych yn ei rhoi i adfer unedau mân anafiadau o bosibl i'r cymunedau a'u collodd neu i gymunedau eraill gerllaw?
Well, I think I've essentially dealt with that in response to Jack Sargeant's question. In the review that is being undertaken to consider alternative locations, the challenge isn't just how many locations people may want to have, it's actually about where the need is, relatively, but also the ability to properly staff those, because if you're going to have adequate minor injuries provision on its own, you need the right number of nurses, in particular, and emergency nurse practitioners and our ability to invest in the advanced nurse practitioner workforce as well. So, it's not just about putting a pin in a map and saying, 'That's where it will be.' It is about having a proper plan to get there, with a workforce strategy to get there, and to meet the demand and need that we do recognise exist within north-east Wales. As I say, over the last two years, there have been 20,000 minor injuries attendances at Wrexham in each one of the last two calendar years.
Wel, rwy'n credu fy mod wedi trafod y pwynt hwnnw i bob pwrpas wrth ymateb i gwestiwn Jack Sargeant. Yn yr adolygiad sy'n cael ei gynnal i ystyried lleoliadau eraill, mae'r her yn ymwneud â mwy na faint o leoliadau y gallai pobl fod eisiau eu cael, mae'n ymwneud mewn gwirionedd â lle mae'r angen, yn gymharol, ond hefyd y gallu i staffio'r rheini'n briodol, oherwydd os ydych am gael gwasanaeth mân anafiadau digonol ar ei ben ei hun, rydych angen y nifer gywir o nyrsys yn arbennig, ac ymarferwyr nyrsio brys ynghyd â'r gallu i fuddsoddi yn y gweithlu uwch-ymarferwyr nyrsio hefyd. Felly, mae'n golygu mwy na rhoi pin mewn map a dweud, 'Dyna'r lleoliad.' Mae'n ymwneud â chael cynllun priodol i gyrraedd y pwynt hwnnw, gyda strategaeth ar gyfer y gweithlu i allu ei gyrraedd, ac i fodloni'r galw a'r angen rydym yn ei gydnabod yng ngogledd-ddwyrain Cymru. Fel y dywedais, dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf, gwelwyd 20,000 o achosion o fân anafiadau yn Wrecsam ym mhob un o'r ddwy flynedd galendr ddiwethaf.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Angela Burns.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Angela Burns.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, phenylketonuria, which we'll call PKU because it's much easier, is a very rare genetic metabolic disorder that affects around one in 10,000 people in the UK. Patients living with PKU are not able to metabolise phenylalanine, which is an amino acid that's found in the proteins within your brain. And you're born with it, and, as soon as you are born, if you do not start to control those protein levels, it can lead to severe brain damage, thereby affecting the rest of your life. One of the ways that this disorder can be treated is by leading a very restricted diet. Now, the National Society for Phenylketonuria has come up with a number of recommendations to help improve PKU sufferers' lives, one of which is that all people with PKU should be followed up in an integrated, specialist, metabolic service led by an experienced physician and dietician. So, Minister, I wondered if you would give some consideration to adopting this recommendation, because, although the numbers are small, it does affect a significant group of people within Wales, and has long-term and absolutely devastating effects on their lives if they do not get the balance of this diet right.
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, anhwylder metabolig genetig prin iawn yw ffenylcetonwria, a alwn yn PKU oherwydd ei fod yn llawer haws, sy'n effeithio ar oddeutu un o bob 10,000 o bobl yn y DU. Nid yw cleifion sy'n byw gyda PKU yn gallu metaboleiddio ffenylalanin, sef asid amino a welir yn y proteinau yn eich ymennydd. Ac rydych yn cael eich geni gyda'r cyflwr, a chyn gynted ag y cewch eich geni, os na fyddwch yn dechrau rheoli lefelau'r protein, gall arwain at niwed difrifol i'r ymennydd, gan effeithio ar weddill eich bywyd. Un o'r ffyrdd y gellir trin yr anhwylder hwn yw drwy fwyta deiet cyfyngedig iawn. Nawr, mae'r gymdeithas genedlaethol ar gyfer dioddefwyr ffenylcetonwria wedi cyflwyno nifer o argymhellion i helpu i wella bywydau dioddefwyr PKU, ac un ohonynt yw y dylai pawb sydd â PKU gael eu monitro mewn gwasanaeth metabolig, integredig, arbenigol dan arweiniad meddyg a deietegydd profiadol. Felly, Weinidog, tybed a fyddech yn rhoi rhywfaint o ystyriaeth i fabwysiadu'r argymhelliad hwn, oherwydd, er bod y niferoedd yn fach, mae'n effeithio ar grŵp sylweddol o bobl yng Nghymru, a gall effeithio'n hirdymor ac yn ddifäol iawn ar eu bywydau os nad ydynt yn cael cydbwysedd y deiet yn gywir.
Thank you for the Member's question, and I think it's positive that we're talking about some of the rarer conditions that exist. There are a number of Members across the Chamber who have taken an interest in this. I know that my colleague to the left, the Trefnydd, during her time as a backbencher, took a particular interest in rare diseases and conditions, and, in fact, on this particular issue, I've seen both David Rees, the Member for Aberavon, and the Counsel General in his role as the constituency Member for Neath, who have had constituents who are concerned about the ability to adequately provide something to help them to make choices.
And the point about diet is well made. So, there's a challenge about what we can, could and should provide and have the workforce to do so, and actually investing in having the right number of dieticians, because this is a pretty controlled regime that people need to follow to allow them to make other choices in their lives. So, I'm more than happy for my officials and the Government, and indeed the health service, to engage with the PKU society to talk about what is possible, and, equally, where that's possible to provide, and it may well mean that we need to make different choices about investing in the training of our future workforce.FootnoteLink
Diolch am gwestiwn yr Aelod, ac rwy'n credu ei bod yn gadarnhaol ein bod yn sôn am rai o'r cyflyrau prinnach sy'n bodoli. Mae nifer o Aelodau ar draws y Siambr wedi dangos diddordeb yn hyn. Gwn fod fy nghyd-Aelod ar y chwith, y Trefnydd, yn ystod ei hamser ar y meinciau cefn, wedi dangos diddordeb arbennig mewn clefydau a chyflyrau prin, ac mewn gwirionedd, ar y mater penodol hwn, gwn fod David Rees, yr Aelod dros Aberafan, a'r Cwnsler Cyffredinol yn ei rôl fel yr Aelod dros Gastell-nedd, wedi cael etholwyr yn mynegi pryderon ynghylch y gallu i ddarparu rhywbeth digonol i'w helpu i wneud dewisiadau.
Ac mae'r pwynt am ddeiet yn un da. Felly, mae her ynglŷn â'r hyn y gallwn, y gallem ac y dylem ei ddarparu, ynghyd â'r gweithlu i wneud hynny, a buddsoddi i sicrhau'r nifer iawn o ddeietegwyr, oherwydd mae'r drefn sy'n rhaid i bobl ei dilyn i ganiatáu iddynt wneud dewisiadau eraill yn eu bywydau yn un eithaf llym. Felly, rwy'n fwy na bodlon i fy swyddogion a'r Llywodraeth, a'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn wir, ymgysylltu â chymdeithas y PKU i siarad am yr hyn sy'n bosibl, ac yn yr un modd, lle mae'n bosibl darparu hynny, ac mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd yn golygu bod angen inni wneud dewisiadau gwahanol ynghylch buddsoddi mewn hyfforddiant ar gyfer ein gweithlu yn y dyfodol.FootnoteLink
Well, thank you for that, because that's actually quite a positive answer. I'm the current chair of the cross-party group on rare and orphan diseases here, and I was actually shocked when I met a whole group of people with PKU, because it's not just—. I think you termed it a 'pretty controlled regime'. Imagine spending your entire life living on soups and shakes, with the added disadvantage that, apparently, they taste disgusting. I was offered a sample; I did actually decline, because I could smell it before I even got anywhere near it. And it wasn't just that. These people were showing me, people with the condition, that, if they're going to eat a piece of cheese—literally, once a week, they can have a piece of cheese, which is about a centimetre by a centimetre by a centimetre. And, of course, this also has an enormous impact on their health and mental well-being as they grow older, particularly teenagers, young adults going out, having a social life, wanting to be part of normal society and just not being able to join in with the pint in the pub, the pizza down the local takeaway, or whatever it might be.
And the other really shocking thing that I found out was that, actually, from birth, the babies have to have specialised milk, and that milk is very often not on the NHS, it's eye-wateringly expensive, and, worst of all, it's incredibly hard to get. Now, Minister, if this is something that the lack of which would be detrimental to somebody's life and long-term well-being—. Will you please also ask your officials to look at this supply situation? Because to deny a baby the right food from the moment it's born all the way through its growing life, where parents are struggling to either afford the right milk, this synthetic milk that's made, or can't even get it—because you can't order it on Amazon or whatever—is truly shocking, because that young child will actually just develop these high levels of amino acids, and, of course, in the longer term, will need more and more help from the state. So, we need to keep them as healthy as possible. And there's also just something so unfair about having a perfectly lovely little baby and not being able to get the food it needs to have as good a life as it possibly can have.
Wel, diolch am hynny, oherwydd mae'n ateb eithaf cadarnhaol mewn gwirionedd. Fi yw cadeirydd presennol y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar glefydau prin ac amddifad yma, a chefais sioc mewn gwirionedd pan gyfarfûm â grŵp cyfan o bobl gyda PKU, oherwydd nid dim ond—. Credaf ichi ei galw'n 'drefn eithaf llym'. Dychmygwch dreulio eich bywyd cyfan yn byw ar gawl a diodydd, gyda'r anfantais ychwanegol eu bod, mae'n debyg, yn blasu'n ffiaidd. Cefais gynnig sampl; fe wrthodais mewn gwirionedd, oherwydd gallwn ei arogli cyn i mi fynd yn agos ato. Ac nid yn unig hynny. Roedd y bobl hyn yn dangos i mi, pobl â'r cyflwr, os ydynt yn bwyta darn o gaws—yn llythrennol, unwaith yr wythnos, gallant gael darn o gaws, sydd tua centimedr wrth gentimedr wrth gentimedr. Ac wrth gwrs, mae'n cael effaith enfawr ar eu hiechyd a'u llesiant meddyliol hefyd wrth iddynt dyfu'n hŷn, yn enwedig pobl yn eu harddegau, oedolion ifanc yn mynd allan, yn cael bywyd cymdeithasol, yn dymuno bod yn rhan o gymdeithas normal ac yn methu ymuno â'r peint yn y dafarn, y pizza yn y tecawê lleol, neu beth bynnag y bo.
A'r peth brawychus arall a welais oedd bod yn rhaid i'r babanod gael llaeth arbenigol ar ôl cael eu geni, ac yn aml nid yw'r llaeth hwnnw ar gael gan y GIG, mae'n hynod o ddrud ac yn waeth na dim, mae'n anodd iawn ei gael. Nawr, Weinidog, os yw hwn yn rhywbeth angenrheidiol i fywyd a llesiant hirdymor rhywun—. A wnewch chi ofyn i'ch swyddogion edrych ar y sefyllfa o ran y cyflenwad? Oherwydd mae gwrthod y bwyd cywir i faban o'r foment y mae'n cael ei eni, lle mae rhieni'n ei chael hi'n anodd naill ai i fforddio'r llaeth cywir, y llaeth synthetig hwn sy'n cael ei greu, neu'n methu cael gafael arno hyd yn oed—oherwydd ni allwch ei archebu ar Amazon neu beth bynnag—yn wirioneddol frawychus, oherwydd bydd y plentyn ifanc hwnnw'n datblygu lefelau uchel o asidau amino, ac wrth gwrs, yn fwy hirdymor, bydd angen mwy a mwy o gymorth gan y wladwriaeth. Felly, mae angen inni eu cadw mor iach â phosibl. Ac mae yna rywbeth mor annheg hefyd ynglŷn â chael babi bach hollol hyfryd a methu cael y bwyd sydd ei angen arno i gael bywyd cystal ag y gall ei gael.
I'm more than happy for the conversation I've offered with officials in the health service to include this specific issue around early milk supply as well. And I think there's something about—. It's a choice for the Member whether she wants to write to me in her capacity as the spokesperson for her party, or in her role as chair of the cross-party group. I'm happy to engage in either way, but I'd want to be able to share information, because I know there are other Members in this place, across parties, who take an interest in this issue as well.
Rwy'n fwy na pharod i gael y sgwrs rwyf wedi'i chynnig gyda swyddogion yn y gwasanaeth iechyd i gynnwys y mater penodol hwn ynghylch cyflenwad llaeth cynnar hefyd. Ac rwy'n credu bod yna rywbeth am—. Croeso i'r Aelod ddewis a hoffai ysgrifennu ataf yn rhinwedd ei swydd fel llefarydd ei phlaid, neu yn rhinwedd ei rôl fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol. Rwy'n hapus i ymgysylltu y naill ffordd neu'r llall, ond buaswn eisiau gallu rhannu gwybodaeth, oherwydd gwn fod gan Aelodau eraill yn y lle hwn, ar draws y pleidiau, ddiddordeb yn y mater hefyd.
Okay. So, I'd like you to work one more miracle, and that's about a drug called Kuvan. Now, Kuvan is to people with PKU what Orkambi is to other people with conditions. Now, we've been waiting for 12 years for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to really get to grips with Kuvan. Earlier this month, Jeremy Hunt, the former health Secretary, called on Matt Hancock, the current holder of the post, to use the same magic to secure access to Kuvan that he used to give the go-ahead for Orkambi for cystic fibrosis. And there is a legal challenge going on by a PKU sufferer in England, currently, against NICE. It is costly, but it would make a dramatic difference to the lives of those small handfuls of people who have this really horrible condition. Minister, you're always saying that you want the NHS in Wales to follow a different path, you strive to try to be a lot more inclusive, in your view, more equitable. Will you have a real go at this, and would you consider trying to move it so that this drug, which is available in all the nations of the European Union other than Poland—I will exclude Poland—and the UK can be prescribed to patients here in Wales? Small numbers—but we can't just ignore the rare and orphan diseases and conditions simply because there aren't masses of people who need those. And you proved it with Orkambi; let's do it with Kuvan, please.
Iawn. Felly, hoffwn i chi gyflawni un wyrth arall, ac mae'n ymwneud â chyffur o'r enw Kuvan. Nawr, mae Kuvan, i bobl gyda PKU fel Orkambi i bobl â chyflyrau eraill. Nawr, rydym wedi bod yn aros ers 12 mlynedd i'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal fynd i'r afael o ddifrif â Kuvan. Yn gynharach y mis hwn, galwodd Jeremy Hunt, y cyn Ysgrifennydd iechyd, ar Matt Hancock, deilydd presennol y swydd, i ddefnyddio'r un swyn i sicrhau mynediad at Kuvan ag y defnyddiodd i roi sêl bendith i Orkambi ar gyfer ffeibrosis systig. Ac mae dioddefwr PKU yn Lloegr ar hyn o bryd wedi cyflwyno her gyfreithiol yn erbyn y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal. Mae'n gostus, ond byddai'n gwneud gwahaniaeth dramatig i fywydau'r dyrnaid bach o bobl sydd â'r cyflwr ofnadwy hwn. Weinidog, rydych bob amser yn dweud eich bod eisiau i'r GIG yng Nghymru ddilyn llwybr gwahanol, rydych yn ymdrechu i geisio bod yn llawer mwy cynhwysol, ac yn eich barn chi, yn decach. A wnewch chi wneud ymdrech go iawn ar hyn, ac a fyddech yn ystyried ceisio ei symud fel y gellir rhoi'r cyffur hwn, sydd ar gael yn holl wledydd yr Undeb Ewropeaidd heblaw am Wlad Pwyl—rwyf am ddiystyru Gwlad Pwyl—a'r DU, ar bresgripsiwn i gleifion yma yng Nghymru? Niferoedd bach—ond ni allwn anwybyddu'r cyflyrau a'r clefydau prin ac amddifad oherwydd nad oes llu o bobl sydd eu hangen. Ac rydych wedi'i brofi gydag Orkambi; gadewch i ni wneud yr un peth gyda Kuvan, os gwelwch yn dda.
Well, I'm broadly aware of Kuvan—it's an issue that I've seen in some of the correspondence that I've had—but I'm not so aware that I could give a pledge to determine an outcome. If, however, the manufacturers want to submit for appraisal through our own appraisal process—the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group—they are free to do so. I think the challenge about Jeremy Hunt calling on Matt Hancock to do something shows you something about the danger of having former Ministers on backbenches. But it wasn't magic that got Orkambi over the line, it was a hard, commercial conversation, because the manufacturers of that drug weren't prepared to move until a very long, damaging and unpleasant campaign—which I think damaged a number of families in the process—to actually change the offer they were prepared to make to the national health service.
And this isn't just an issue for one particular form of medication. It's pretty common, not just for new treatments for, if you like, more common conditions, but certainly on rarer conditions as well. And, in fact, in the new treatment fund, which we're celebrating three years of making a real difference, many of the treatments that are brought online are for rare conditions—rare conditions that are now supported because there's a NICE appraisal. And, often, it's that initial cost to health boards, where there's a challenge that the new treatment fund helps with to get it available more broadly within the service. And we'll face this challenge in the future with advanced therapies too. So, I'm more than happy if the Member wants to write to me, and I'll be honest about where we are in the appraisal process and the things that we can do and are prepared to do here in Wales. And I'm more than happy to maintain that level of honesty with her, both within and outside the Chamber.
Wel, rwy'n gwybod am Kuvan yn fras—mae'n fater rwyf wedi'i weld mewn rhywfaint o'r ohebiaeth rwyf wedi'i chael—ond nid wyf yn credu y gallwn ymrwymo i benderfynu ar ganlyniad. Fodd bynnag, os yw'r gweithgynhyrchwyr eisiau cyflwyno arfarniad drwy ein proses arfarnu ein hunain—Grŵp Strategaeth Feddyginiaethau Cymru—maent yn rhydd i wneud hynny. Rwy'n credu bod yr her sy'n ymwneud â Jeremy Hunt yn galw ar Matt Hancock i wneud rhywbeth yn dweud rhywbeth wrthoch chi am y perygl o gael cyn Weinidogion ar feinciau cefn. Ond llwyddwyd i gael Orkambi, nid drwy swyn, ond drwy sgwrs galed, fasnachol, oherwydd nid oedd gweithgynhyrchwyr y cyffur hwnnw'n barod i symud cyn yr ymgyrch hir, niweidiol ac annymunol iawn a gafwyd—ymgyrch a niweidiodd nifer o deuluoedd yn y broses yn fy marn i—i newid y cynnig roeddent yn barod i'w wneud i'r gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol mewn gwirionedd.
Ac nid mewn perthynas ag un math penodol o feddyginiaeth yn unig y mae hon yn broblem. Mae'n eithaf cyffredin, nid yn unig ar gyfer triniaethau newydd at gyflyrau mwy cyffredin, os mynnwch, ond yn sicr at gyflyrau mwy anghyffredin hefyd. Ac mewn gwirionedd, yn y gronfa triniaethau newydd, lle rydym yn dathlu tair blynedd o wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn, mae llawer o'r triniaethau a gyflwynir yn rhai ar gyfer cyflyrau prin—cyflyrau prin sydd bellach yn cael eu cefnogi oherwydd bod arfarniad gan y Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal. Ac yn aml, mae'n ymwneud â'r gost gychwynnol honno i fyrddau iechyd, lle ceir her y mae'r gronfa triniaethau newydd yn helpu gyda hi i sicrhau bod y driniaeth ar gael yn fwy eang o fewn y gwasanaeth. A byddwn yn wynebu'r her hon yn y dyfodol gyda therapïau uwch hefyd. Felly, rwy'n fwy na hapus os yw'r Aelod eisiau ysgrifennu ataf, a byddaf yn onest ynglŷn â lle rydym arni yn y broses arfarnu a'r pethau y gallwn eu gwneud ac rydym yn barod i'w gwneud yma yng Nghymru. Ac rwy'n fwy na bodlon cynnal y lefel honno o onestrwydd gyda hi, o fewn y Siambr a thu hwnt.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood.
The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Leanne Wood.
Is it still the Welsh Government's policy that Wales should have fewer accident and emergency departments, so that staff can be concentrated on fewer sites—yes or no?
Ai polisi Llywodraeth Cymru o hyd yw y dylai fod gan Gymru lai o adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys, fel y gellir canolbwyntio staff ar lai o safleoedd—ie neu na?
It is the policy of the Welsh Government that care should be provided as close to home as possible. And there is a recognition that, for some services, that will mean fewer specialist centres. But, in terms of any particular point about how many emergency departments there could or should be, the Welsh Government doesn't have a magic figure in its mind about the number of departments there could or should be. These are difficult questions, which are reliant both on the need of the population, but also on our ability to recruit the right numbers of staff to provide the right service that people rightly expect.
Mae'n bolisi gan Lywodraeth Cymru y dylid darparu gofal mor agos i gartref â phosibl. Ac mae cydnabyddiaeth y bydd hynny, yn achos rhai gwasanaethau, yn golygu llai o ganolfannau arbenigol. Ond o ran unrhyw bwynt penodol ynglŷn â faint o adrannau achosion brys a allai neu a ddylai fod, nid oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru ffigur hud mewn golwg ynglŷn â nifer yr adrannau a allai neu a ddylai fod. Mae'r rhain yn gwestiynau anodd, sy'n dibynnu ar angen y boblogaeth, yn ogystal ag ar ein gallu i recriwtio'r niferoedd cywir o staff i ddarparu'r gwasanaeth cywir y mae pobl yn ei ddisgwyl, a hynny'n briodol.
Do you agree with what the First Minister said yesterday, that it should be the decision made by doctors about the future of the A&E department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital?
A ydych yn cytuno â'r hyn a ddywedodd y Prif Weinidog ddoe, sef mai meddygon a ddylai wneud y penderfyniad ynghylch dyfodol yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg?
Well, the decision made about the future of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, which we'll be debating later on today, is one where the health board have a responsibility to make a choice. They do need to listen to and engage with their medical workforce to understand what doctors are saying about the safety of that service. That's a short-term challenge and a longer term one. But they also of course have a responsibility to listen to the public. And that's not just about the numbers of people who are engaged and genuinely anxious about the future of services. They've got to be able to listen to those concerns, those fears—because, actually, the health board themselves may not know everything about the direct impact upon the communities they serve, the challenges about access, about equity—and to be able to listen to what the public are saying and to respond to that in providing any answer for the future. And of course I expect not just members of the public, but their elected representatives too, to ask those questions. And I expect those questions to be answered, in a way that is genuinely open and transparent, about any choice the health board make in providing the sort of high-quality and safe service that people in every part of Wales are entitled to expect.
Wel, mae'r penderfyniad a wnaed am ddyfodol Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, y byddwn yn ei drafod yn nes ymlaen heddiw, yn un lle mae gan y bwrdd iechyd gyfrifoldeb i wneud dewis. Mae angen iddynt wrando ar eu gweithlu meddygol ac ymgysylltu â hwy i ddeall yr hyn y mae meddygon yn ei ddweud am ddiogelwch y gwasanaeth hwnnw. Mae honno'n her yn y tymor byr ac yn y tymor hwy. Ond mae ganddynt gyfrifoldeb hefyd wrth gwrs i wrando ar y cyhoedd. Ac nid yw hynny'n ymwneud yn unig â niferoedd y bobl sy'n gysylltiedig â hyn ac sy'n wirioneddol bryderus am ddyfodol gwasanaethau. Mae'n rhaid iddynt allu gwrando ar y pryderon hynny, yr ofnau hynny—oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, efallai na fydd y bwrdd iechyd eu hunain yn gwybod popeth am yr effaith uniongyrchol ar y cymunedau y maent yn eu gwasanaethu, yr heriau ynghylch mynediad, ynghylch tegwch—a gallu gwrando ar yr hyn y mae'r cyhoedd yn ei ddweud ac ymateb i hynny wrth ddarparu unrhyw ateb ar gyfer y dyfodol. Ac wrth gwrs, rwy'n disgwyl i aelodau'r cyhoedd, a'u cynrychiolwyr etholedig hefyd, ofyn y cwestiynau hynny. Ac rwy'n disgwyl i'r cwestiynau hynny gael eu hateb, mewn ffordd sy'n wirioneddol agored a thryloyw, am unrhyw ddewis y mae'r bwrdd iechyd yn ei wneud o ran darparu'r math o wasanaeth diogel o ansawdd uchel y mae gan bobl ym mhob rhan o Gymru hawl i'w ddisgwyl.
I agree with you that the public should be listened to. It's a real shame that the 60,000 responses to the consultation that went into the south Wales programme, back in 2014, weren't listened to.
Minister, I can reveal, this afternoon, that, in the last couple of hours, the overwhelming majority of consultants at the Royal Glamorgan have agreed, in a meeting, that a full 24-hour A&E should remain at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Now, both yourself and the First Minister have said that this decision needs to be led by doctors. In the light of the views of those doctors, will you now commit to restoring A&E at the Royal Glamorgan and guaranteeing its long-term future?
Rwy'n cytuno â chi y dylid gwrando ar y cyhoedd. Mae'n drueni mawr na wrandawyd ar y 60,000 o ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd ar raglen de Cymru yn ôl yn 2014.
Weinidog, gallaf ddatgelu, y prynhawn yma, fod y mwyafrif llethol o'r meddygon ymgynghorol yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, wedi cytuno yn ystod y ddwy awr ddiwethaf, mewn cyfarfod, y dylid parhau i ddarparu gwasanaeth damweiniau ac achosion brys 24 awr llawn yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Nawr, rydych chi a'r Prif Weinidog wedi dweud bod angen i'r penderfyniad hwn gael ei arwain gan feddygon. Yng ngoleuni barn y meddygon hynny, a wnewch chi ymrwymo yn awr i adfer yr adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg a gwarantu ei dyfodol hirdymor?
Well, actually, the health board themselves have made it clear in the statement they made yesterday that they don't have a final answer to what should happen. They do, though, have an unavoidable challenge about the future safety of that service, and that is because the last permanent consultant at the Royal Glamorgan is leaving at the end of March. Now, you can't ignore the reality of what that means for the future safety of the service. And for all those people who, understandably—within this Chamber and outside it—want to have a 24-hour service remain in the emergency department at the Royal Glamorgan and consultant-led, that has to rub up against the reality of whether or not they can recruit staff to deliver that service safely and effectively—
Wel, mewn gwirionedd, mae'r bwrdd iechyd ei hun wedi egluro yn y datganiad a wnaethant ddoe nad oes ganddynt ateb terfynol i'r hyn a ddylai ddigwydd. Fodd bynnag, mae ganddynt her anochel ynghylch diogelwch y gwasanaeth hwnnw yn y dyfodol, a hynny am fod y meddyg ymgynghorol parhaol olaf yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg yn gadael ar ddiwedd mis Mawrth. Nawr, ni allwch anwybyddu realiti'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu i ddiogelwch y gwasanaeth yn y dyfodol. Ac i'r holl bobl sydd, yn ddealladwy—yn y Siambr hon a thu allan—eisiau gweld adran ddamweiniau ac achosion brys 24 awr dan arweiniad meddyg ymgynghorol yn parhau yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, rhaid gosod hynny yn erbyn realiti eu gallu neu eu hanallu i recriwtio staff i ddarparu'r gwasanaeth hwnnw'n ddiogel ac yn effeithiol—
You need to change the south Wales programme if you're to have a chance of recruiting.
Mae angen i chi newid rhaglen de Cymru i gael gobaith o recriwtio.
And the problem—the problem that all of us face is that, if we can't recruit the right number of permanent consultants to deliver that service, then we won't be able to do that. And it's not simply a matter of saying the south Wales programme is to blame. That doesn't resolve the problem. It would just avoid the problem we face, and, actually, we all know that if you ignore safety concerns that are provided by staff, by people delivering that care—if you fail to deal with that challenge—then, actually, you will end up providing an unsafe service, harm being caused, and then people concerned will quite rightly say, 'Why didn't you do something about it? Why didn't the health board do something about it?'
And this isn't a question of the amount of effort that goes into recruitment. Emergency medicine is a shortage area of practice. Right across the United Kingdom there are challenges. This is not a situation that is unique to one part of Wales. And I understand why people have strong feelings, and I don't ask people to park their feelings or to avoid the challenges that exist. But I do want us to have a debate that is honest about the real challenges that we face and not to try to pretend to ourselves or anybody else that there is an easy answer—that, if only people tried harder, all of the challenges wouldn't exist.
A'r broblem—y broblem sy'n ein hwynebu ni i gyd yw, os na allwn recriwtio'r nifer iawn o feddygon ymgynghorol parhaol i ddarparu'r gwasanaeth hwnnw, ni fyddwn yn gallu gwneud hynny. Ac nid yw'n fater o ddweud yn syml mai rhaglen de Cymru sydd ar fai. Nid yw hynny'n datrys y broblem. Ni fyddai ond yn osgoi'r broblem rydym yn ei hwynebu, ac mewn gwirionedd, rydym i gyd yn gwybod, os ydych yn anwybyddu pryderon diogelwch mewn perthynas â staff, mewn perthynas â'r bobl sy'n darparu'r gofal hwnnw—os ydych yn methu mynd i'r afael â'r her honno—fe fyddwch yn darparu gwasanaeth anniogel yn y pen draw, bydd niwed yn cael ei achosi, a bydd pobl yn dweud, a hynny'n gwbl briodol, 'Pam na wnaethoch chi rywbeth yn ei gylch? Pam na wnaeth y bwrdd iechyd rywbeth yn ei gylch?'
Ac nid yw'n gwestiwn o faint o ymdrech a wneir i recriwtio. Mae meddygaeth frys yn faes ymarfer sy'n brin o staff. Mae yna heriau ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig. Nid yw hon yn sefyllfa sy'n unigryw i un rhan o Gymru. Ac rwy'n deall pam fod gan bobl deimladau cryf, ac nid wyf yn gofyn i bobl roi eu teimladau o'r neilltu nac osgoi'r heriau sy'n bodoli. Ond rwyf eisiau inni gael dadl onest am yr heriau gwirioneddol rydym yn eu hwynebu a pheidio â cheisio esgus i ni'n hunain nac i neb arall fod yna ateb hawdd—sef na fyddai'r holl heriau'n bodoli pe bai pobl ond yn ymdrechu'n galetach.
Llefarydd Plaid Brexit, Caroline Jones.
Brexit Party spokesperson, Caroline Jones.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, just a few days ago, we marked Time to Talk Day here in Wales, aimed at getting us, as a nation, talking about our mental health, but more importantly helping to change attitudes and remove the stigma that still surrounds mental health, and, while we have made some progress, it's sadly not enough.
The annual population survey ranks Wales behind all other UK nations for measures of mental well-being. One in four of us will experience mental ill health, yet a staggering 90 per cent of people have been treated negatively because they have mental health issues. Minister, what more can the Welsh Government do to encourage more positive attitudes towards mental health issues to get more of us talking about our own mental health issues in order to break down barriers?
Diolch, Lywydd. Weinidog, ychydig ddyddiau'n ôl, roeddem yn nodi Diwrnod Amser i Siarad yma yng Nghymru, gyda'r nod o sicrhau ein bod, fel cenedl, yn siarad am ein hiechyd meddwl, ond yn bwysicach, yn helpu i newid agweddau a chael gwared ar y stigma sy'n dal i fodoli ynghylch iechyd meddwl, ac er ein bod wedi gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd, yn anffodus nid yw'n ddigon.
Mae'r arolwg blynyddol o'r boblogaeth yn rhestru Cymru y tu ôl i holl wledydd eraill y DU mewn perthynas â mesurau llesiant meddyliol. Bydd un o bob pedwar ohonom yn dioddef salwch meddwl, ond eto mae 90 y cant o bobl wedi cael eu trin yn negyddol oherwydd bod ganddynt broblemau iechyd meddwl. Weinidog, beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i annog agweddau mwy cadarnhaol tuag at faterion iechyd meddwl er mwyn cael mwy ohonom i siarad am ein problemau iechyd meddwl ein hunain er mwyn chwalu rhwystrau?
Well, as you know, we continue to part-fund the Time to Change Wales campaign. That has actually made a difference in persuading people to talk more openly and to be more understanding about mental health challenges, because almost all of us, if we haven't had a mental health challenge ourselves, know someone who has. This isn't an uncommon challenge and issue. So, it's not just about funding the campaign; it is about the way that we make choices and the way that we behave.
And, in fact, in the last Assembly term, Members from all of the parties in the Chamber, at that time, spoke about their own challenges. And I think that was a really important moment for this place, to have elected representatives openly talk about the challenge they face, but the fact that, despite that, they still go on and achieve. And there's a challenge here about recognising that having a mental health condition does not mean that the rest of your life needs to stop. We don't say that when people have physical health challenges either, and it's about a much more open and understanding conversation. But this is cultural change. The Government is part of leading that, but all of the answers certainly don't rest in our hands.
Wel, fel y gwyddoch, rydym yn parhau i ariannu ymgyrch Amser i Newid Cymru yn rhannol. Mae'r ymgyrch honno wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth mewn gwirionedd o ran perswadio pobl i siarad yn fwy agored ac i ddeall heriau iechyd meddwl yn well, oherwydd mae bron bob un ohonom, os nad ydym wedi wynebu her iechyd meddwl ein hunain, yn adnabod rhywun sydd wedi gwneud hynny. Nid yw hon yn her nac yn broblem anghyffredin. Felly, mae'n ymwneud â mwy nag ariannu'r ymgyrch; mae'n ymwneud â'r ffordd rydym yn gwneud dewisiadau a'r ffordd rydym yn ymddwyn.
Ac yn wir, yn ystod tymor diwethaf y Cynulliad, siaradodd Aelodau o bob plaid yn y Siambr, ar yr adeg honno, am eu heriau eu hunain. Ac rwy'n credu bod honno'n foment wirioneddol bwysig i'r lle hwn, y ffaith bod cynrychiolwyr etholedig wedi siarad yn agored am yr her sy'n eu hwynebu, a'u bod wedi mynd ymlaen i gyflawni er gwaethaf hynny. Ac mae yna her yma ynglŷn â chydnabod nad yw cael cyflwr iechyd meddwl yn golygu bod angen i weddill eich bywyd ddod i stop. Nid ydym yn dweud hynny pan fydd pobl yn wynebu heriau iechyd corfforol chwaith, ac mae'n ymwneud â sgwrs lawer mwy agored a chydymdeimladol. Ond newid diwylliannol yw hwn. Mae'r Llywodraeth yn rhan o arwain y newid hwnnw, ond yn sicr nid yw'r atebion i gyd yn ein dwylo ni.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. When it comes to changing attitudes to mental health issues, we have to lead by example, and we have certainly set an example here in the Assembly, with Members talking freely and openly about their own health issues. Unfortunately, the positive example we have set does not pervade the public sector as a whole. I recently had to represent an elderly constituent who was facing eviction by his housing association due to the cleanliness issue of his home. My staff had to point out that this gentleman had severe mental health issues, along with other physical health issues, and was receiving zero support. Thankfully, in this case, the tenant was not evicted and is now receiving the help that he needed. However, had we not been involved, I have no doubt that this elderly gentleman would have ended up on the street, homeless. We know that mental health issues are prevalent in our homeless population. Minister, what guidance can the Welsh Government issue to local government and registered social landlords to increase awareness of mental health issues and ensure people with mental health issues receive the support they need, and staff the training that they also need? Thank you.
Diolch ichi am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Pan ddaw'n fater o newid agweddau at broblemau iechyd meddwl, mae'n rhaid inni arwain drwy esiampl, ac rydym yn sicr wedi gosod esiampl yma yn y Cynulliad, gydag Aelodau'n siarad yn rhydd ac yn agored am eu problemau iechyd eu hunain. Yn anffodus, nid yw'r enghraifft gadarnhaol rydym wedi'i gosod yn treiddio i'r sector cyhoeddus yn ei gyfanrwydd. Yn ddiweddar, bu'n rhaid i mi gynrychioli etholwr oedrannus a oedd yn wynebu cael ei droi allan gan ei gymdeithas dai oherwydd problemau glanweithdra yn ei gartref. Roedd yn rhaid i fy staff nodi bod gan y gŵr bonheddig hwn broblemau iechyd meddwl difrifol, ynghyd â phroblemau iechyd corfforol eraill, ac nad oedd yn cael unrhyw gymorth. Yn yr achos hwn, diolch byth, ni chafodd y tenant ei droi allan ac mae bellach yn cael y cymorth roedd ei angen. Fodd bynnag, pe na baem wedi ymyrryd, nid oes gennyf unrhyw amheuaeth y byddai'r gŵr oedrannus hwn yn cysgu ar y stryd, yn ddigartref. Gwyddom fod problemau iechyd meddwl yn gyffredin ymhlith ein poblogaeth ddigartref. Weinidog, pa ganllawiau y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu rhoi i lywodraeth leol a landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaeth o broblemau iechyd meddwl a sicrhau bod pobl â phroblemau iechyd meddwl yn cael y cymorth y maent ei angen, a bod staff yn cael yr hyfforddiant y maent hwythau hefyd ei angen? Diolch.
This isn't just a single-shot measure, because actually we do know that, across both local authorities and housing association partners, there is a growing level of awareness about the stress and mental health challenge that people face for a variety of reasons. It's not just about the challenges that many people face, for example, about changes in the benefit system; real anxiety. Money worries often lead to mental health challenges. It's not just about the homeless population; people who actually live in homes and have jobs also face some of the same challenges.
So, there's no perfect way of looking at it, but I think you'll find that housing associations in particular have a pretty well-structured national campaign where they're looking to raise awareness both within their own memberships and the wider landlord sector about the challenges people do face. It's a national conversation, it takes place here in the Assembly, in public services, but also in workplaces too. Because I think we need to accept that, for all that we want to achieve, we actually do need to get alongside the public to make the sort of difference that the Member refers to.
Nid un ateb sydd i hyn, oherwydd mewn gwirionedd rydym yn gwybod, ar draws awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid cymdeithasau tai, fod yna lefel gynyddol o ymwybyddiaeth am heriau iechyd meddwl a straen y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu am amryw o resymau. Mae'n ymwneud â mwy na'r heriau y mae llawer o bobl yn eu hwynebu, er enghraifft, am newidiadau yn y system budd-daliadau; pryder gwirioneddol. Mae pryderon ariannol yn aml yn arwain at heriau iechyd meddwl. Mae'n ymwneud â mwy na'r boblogaeth ddigartref yn unig; mae pobl sy'n byw mewn cartrefi ac sydd â swyddi hefyd yn wynebu rhai o'r un heriau.
Felly, nid oes un ffordd berffaith o edrych ar y sefyllfa, ond rwy'n credu y byddwch yn gweld bod gan gymdeithasau tai yn arbennig ymgyrch genedlaethol sydd wedi'i strwythuro'n dda lle maent yn ceisio codi ymwybyddiaeth ymysg eu haelodau eu hunain a'r sector landlordiaid yn ehangach am yr heriau y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu. Mae'n sgwrs genedlaethol, mae'n digwydd yma yn y Cynulliad, mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, ond hefyd mewn gweithleoedd. Oherwydd rwy'n credu bod angen inni dderbyn, er cymaint rydym eisiau ei gyflawni, fod angen inni sefyll ochr yn ochr â'r cyhoedd i wneud y math o wahaniaeth y mae'r Aelod yn cyfeirio ato.
3. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am therapïau seicolegol yng ngogledd Cymru? OAQ55073
3. Will the Minister make a statement on psychological therapies in north Wales? OAQ55073
The health board recently commissioned an independent review of its psychological therapies provision as part of its own improvement programme. The review findings highlighted examples of positive practice but also made a number of recommendations for urgent improvement, which I expect to be implemented as a matter of priority.
Yn ddiweddar, comisiynodd y bwrdd iechyd adolygiad annibynnol o'i ddarpariaeth o therapïau seicolegol fel rhan o'i raglen ei hun ar gyfer gwella. Tynnodd canfyddiadau'r adolygiad sylw at enghreifftiau o arferion cadarnhaol ond gwnaeth nifer o argymhellion ar gyfer gwelliant brys hefyd, ac rwy'n disgwyl i'r rhain gael eu rhoi ar waith fel mater o flaenoriaeth.
Thank you for that response, Minister. As you will know, I've been greatly concerned to read the conclusions in that report, and I've read it from cover to cover. It talks about serious unwarranted variation in the provision, access, practice and culture amongst the delivery of psychological therapies in north Wales. Unacceptably long waits in some areas; pathways that are under-resourced and not fit for purpose; an enormous data deficit; and, amongst staff, a sense of despondency and helplessness as to how the organisation might lift itself into a better place.
That, to me, makes pretty terrible reading for an organisation's psychological therapies, when we consider that the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been in special measures for almost five years. We were told when it was placed in special measures that there would be a sense of urgency in terms of improving mental health services for patients in north Wales, and I know that that's an ambition that you and I both share. The self-evaluation reports that are produced by the health board, and then reported through its governance processes, including to the Welsh Government, are completely at odds with the findings of the psychological therapies review.
I want to know what action you will now take as Minister to make sure that the governance systems in the health board are fit for purpose; that when reports like this are commissioned they are absolutely shared in a timely manner with the Welsh Government, with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, and the Wales Audit Office given the advice that they provide to you about special measures; and I want to know what assurances you can give to the people of north Wales that these issues will be remedied very quickly, and that we won't be here in another five years looking at a similar report again.
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Fel y gwyddoch, rwyf wedi bod yn bryderus iawn o ddarllen casgliadau'r adroddiad hwnnw, ac rwyf wedi'i ddarllen o glawr i glawr. Mae'n sôn am amrywiadau difrifol a di-alw-amdanynt yn y ddarpariaeth, mynediad, arferion a diwylliant ymhlith y rhai sy'n darparu therapïau seicolegol yng ngogledd Cymru. Amseroedd aros annerbyniol o hir mewn rhai ardaloedd; llwybrau nad ydynt yn cael digon o adnoddau ac nad ydynt yn addas i'r diben; diffyg data enfawr; ac ymhlith staff, ymdeimlad o anobaith a diymadferthedd ynglŷn â sut y gallai'r sefydliad wella ei hun.
Mae hynny, i mi, yn gwneud deunydd darllen pur ofnadwy i therapïau seicolegol sefydliad, pan ystyriwn fod Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr wedi bod yn destun mesurau arbennig ers bron i bum mlynedd. Dywedwyd wrthym pan gafodd ei wneud yn destun mesurau arbennig y byddai ymdeimlad o frys o ran gwella gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl i gleifion yng ngogledd Cymru, a gwn fod hwnnw'n uchelgais rydych chi a minnau'n ei rannu. Mae'r adroddiadau hunanwerthuso a gynhyrchir gan y bwrdd iechyd, ac a adroddir wedyn drwy ei brosesau llywodraethu, gan gynnwys i Lywodraeth Cymru, yn gwbl groes i ganfyddiadau'r adolygiad o therapïau seicolegol.
Hoffwn wybod pa gamau y byddwch yn eu cymryd yn awr fel Gweinidog i sicrhau bod systemau llywodraethu'r bwrdd iechyd yn addas i'r diben; pan fydd adroddiadau fel hyn yn cael eu comisiynu, eu bod yn cael eu rhannu'n brydlon gyda Llywodraeth Cymru, gydag Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, a Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru o ystyried y cyngor y maent yn ei roi i chi am fesurau arbennig; ac rwyf eisiau gwybod pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi i bobl gogledd Cymru y bydd y materion hyn yn cael eu hunioni'n gyflym iawn, ac na fyddwn yma ymhen pum mlynedd arall yn edrych ar adroddiad tebyg eto.
I'm happy to confirm something of a timeline that may provide some assurance and information for people who are concerned. So, the health board started to undertake the review from January last year. The report was received in September/October. It was due to go to the mental health partnership board in September/October, but that was then pulled as a result of there being apologies when people weren't able to attend the meeting. It did then go to that partnership board meeting in November last year. And after a verbal update provided to the board's quality and safety meeting, it's then gone to a formal discussion at the meeting at the end of January, where independent members commented upon the report and they put in place the range of measures to implement recommendations.
The oversight and the terms of reference for the task and finish group that will look through that will be openly discussed and endorsed and reported back, for oversight, to the quality and safety committee. So, it is going through the board process. Indeed, the report and the response to recommendations will go through the final board reporting mechanisms in March of this year, I understand. So, it is being openly dealt with. There is no challenge to people seeing the report and it being shared, and of course the response of the health board as well.
And in terms of the governance questions the Member raises, we know that both Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and indeed the Wales Audit Office regularly report on their views on governance structures within the health board and whether they are working effectively. I don't think this particular challenge—and it's a challenge that the health board themselves have uncovered, in terms of asking for the review and dealing with it—is a fair way to try to describe the whole picture on mental health services in north Wales. That rounded picture is provided by a range of evidence, and I will get the advice that I do usually receive from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, the Wales Audit Office, and indeed my officials, in the normal way, and I look forward to reporting back on that in the Chamber on a number of occasions in the future.
Rwy'n hapus i gadarnhau rhyw fath o amserlen a all roi rhywfaint o sicrwydd a gwybodaeth i bobl sy'n pryderu. Felly, dechreuodd y bwrdd iechyd gynnal yr adolygiad o fis Ionawr y llynedd. Derbyniwyd yr adroddiad ym mis Medi/Hydref. Roedd i fod i fynd at y bwrdd partneriaeth iechyd meddwl ym mis Medi/Hydref, ond gohiriwyd hynny wedyn yn sgil ymddiheuriadau pan nad oedd pobl yn gallu mynychu'r cyfarfod. Yna, aeth gerbron cyfarfod o'r bwrdd partneriaeth ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd. Ac ar ôl i ddiweddariad llafar gael ei ddarparu yng nghyfarfod ansawdd a diogelwch y bwrdd, roedd yn destun trafodaeth ffurfiol yn y cyfarfod ar ddiwedd mis Ionawr, lle gwnaeth aelodau annibynnol sylwadau ar yr adroddiad a rhoi ystod o fesurau ar waith i weithredu argymhellion.
Bydd y trosolwg a'r cylch gorchwyl ar gyfer y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen a fydd yn edrych ar hynny'n cael eu trafod a'u cymeradwyo'n agored a'u hadrodd yn ôl i'r pwyllgor ansawdd a diogelwch eu goruchwylio. Felly, mae'n mynd drwy broses y bwrdd. Yn wir, bydd yr adroddiad a'r ymateb i'r argymhellion yn mynd drwy fecanweithiau adrodd terfynol y bwrdd ym mis Mawrth eleni, yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf. Felly, mae'n cael ei drafod yn agored. Nid oes unrhyw her i rwystro pobl rhag gweld yr adroddiad a'i rannu, ac ymateb y bwrdd iechyd hefyd wrth gwrs.
Ac o ran y cwestiynau llywodraethu y mae'r Aelod yn eu codi, rydym yn gwybod bod Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, a Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru yn wir, yn adrodd yn rheolaidd ar eu barn ar strwythurau llywodraethu o fewn y bwrdd iechyd ac a ydynt yn gweithio'n effeithiol. Nid wyf yn credu bod yr her arbennig hon—ac mae'n her y mae'r bwrdd iechyd ei hun wedi'i datgelu, o ran gofyn am yr adolygiad ac ymdrin ag ef—yn ffordd deg o geisio disgrifio'r darlun cyfan ar wasanaethau iechyd meddwl yng ngogledd Cymru. Darperir y darlun cyflawn hwnnw gan ystod o dystiolaeth, a byddaf yn cael y cyngor a dderbyniaf fel arfer gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd Cymru, Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru, a fy swyddogion yn wir, yn y ffordd arferol, ac edrychaf ymlaen at adrodd yn ôl ar hynny yn y Siambr ar nifer o achlysuron yn y dyfodol.
4. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am lefelau staffio mewn lleoliadau gofal iechyd cymunedol? OAQ55071
4. Will the Minister make a statement on staffing levels in community health settings? OAQ55071
The number and skills of community-based, multi-professional health and care teams should be determined by local population need. We expect health boards, local authorities and other service providers to plan multi-professional teams organised around local communities and delivering co-ordinated care and support.
Dylai nifer a sgiliau timau iechyd a gofal cymunedol amlbroffesiynol gael eu pennu yn ôl angen y boblogaeth leol. Rydym yn disgwyl i fyrddau iechyd, awdurdodau lleol a darparwyr gwasanaethau eraill gynllunio timau amlbroffesiynol wedi'u trefnu o amgylch cymunedau lleol a darparu gofal a chymorth cydgysylltiedig.
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Phil Banfield from the British Medical Association recently said it's clear that the latest developments are getting worse, not better. He ended his comments by saying, unless the issue is taken seriously, there's a
'real chance of lives being needlessly lost.'
In between those two statements, he said what's important is that extra beds are put into hospitals, more staff are put on the front line in community settings to relieve the pressures, and additionally, out of the budget process, additional money made available to the health service.
Now, we know additional money has been made available to the health service through the budget process. What commitment can you give in light of these comments from the BMA about additional staff and, importantly, additional beds within our hospitals, so that lives are not 'needlessly lost', as he has said?
Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Yn ddiweddar, dywedodd Phil Banfield o Gymdeithas Feddygol Prydain ei bod yn amlwg fod y datblygiadau diweddaraf yn gwaethygu, ac nid yn gwella. Gorffennodd ei sylwadau drwy ddweud, os na roddir sylw difrifol i'r mater, fod
perygl gwirioneddol y bydd bywydau'n cael eu colli'n ddiangen.
Rhwng y ddau ddatganiad, dywedodd mai'r hyn sy'n bwysig yw bod gwelyau ychwanegol yn cael eu darparu mewn ysbytai, fod mwy o staff yn cael eu rhoi ar y rheng flaen yn y gymuned i leddfu'r pwysau, ac yn ogystal, fod arian ychwanegol yn cael ei ddarparu i'r gwasanaeth iechyd drwy broses y gyllideb.
Nawr, gwyddom fod arian ychwanegol wedi'i ddarparu i'r gwasanaeth iechyd drwy broses y gyllideb. Pa ymrwymiad y gallwch ei roi yng ngoleuni'r sylwadau hyn gan Gymdeithas Feddygol Prydain am staff ychwanegol ac yn bwysig, am welyau ychwanegol yn ein hysbytai, fel nad yw 'bywydau'n cael eu colli'n ddiangen', fel y dywedodd?
Well, I think there's a challenge about where there's space and capacity created within our system. That doesn't necessarily mean those beds have to be within a hospital setting. If you look, for example, at winter capacity, it's been increased; there are bed equivalents in social care. We know a large part of the pressures at the front door of an emergency department in any of our district general hospitals actually comes from the inability to get people out of the hospital and into their own home, or into a different step-up/step-down bed.
We've lost capacity in domiciliary care, which supports people to return to their own homes. We're also facing a real challenge with the the independent sector, which provides most of our residential care as well. So, actually, having more stability within that part of our care system will make a real difference for the health service.
But we are already taking a range of measures on community facilities: the extra investment we're making into district nursing, there have been significant and sustained increases over the last six years in percentage terms; the extra money we're putting into general practice training; the extra money we're putting into pharmacy training as well.
I appreciate you weren't able to attend, but Dr Lloyd, who is now out of the room, hosted a meeting today for the launch of a multidisciplinary working in general practice settings event, hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and a report endorsed by both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and the Royal College of Nursing.
So, the approaches we're taking you can already see in different parts of the country. You'll continue to see that investment being made in the future of staff resource, so more people can receive care closer to home, and equally so we get more people out of the hospital when it's no longer the appropriate setting for the care to take place, and for them to be properly supported in their own home in a bed, whether that's in residential care or in their own home in a town or village in the rest of the country.
Wel, rwy'n credu bod her ynglŷn â lle mae gofod a chapasiti'n cael eu creu yn ein system. Nid yw hynny o reidrwydd yn golygu bod yn rhaid i'r gwelyau fod mewn ysbyty. Os edrychwch chi, er enghraifft, ar gapasiti'r gaeaf, mae wedi cael ei gynyddu; mae gwelyau cyfatebol mewn gofal cymdeithasol. Gwyddom fod rhan fawr o'r pwysau sydd wrth ddrws blaen adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys ein hysbytai dosbarth cyffredinol yn deillio o'r anallu i gael pobl allan o'r ysbyty ac i'w cartref eu hunain, neu i wely gofal mwy dwys/llai dwys gwahanol.
Rydym wedi colli capasiti mewn gofal cartref, sy'n helpu pobl i ddychwelyd i'w cartrefi eu hunain. Rydym hefyd yn wynebu her go iawn gyda'r sector annibynnol, sy'n darparu'r rhan fwyaf o'n gofal preswyl hefyd. Felly, mewn gwirionedd, bydd cael mwy o sefydlogrwydd yn y rhan honno o'n system gofal yn gwneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i'r gwasanaeth iechyd.
Ond rydym eisoes yn gweithredu ystod o fesurau mewn perthynas â chyfleusterau cymunedol: y buddsoddiad ychwanegol rydym yn ei wneud ym maes nyrsys ardal, bu cynnydd canrannol sylweddol a pharhaus dros y chwe blynedd diwethaf; yr arian ychwanegol rydym yn ei roi tuag at hyfforddiant ymarfer cyffredinol; a'r arian ychwanegol rydym yn ei roi tuag at hyfforddiant fferyllol hefyd.
Rwy'n derbyn nad oeddech yn gallu bod yn bresennol, ond roedd Dr Lloyd, sydd bellach wedi gadael yr ystafell, yn cynnal cyfarfod heddiw ar gyfer lansio achlysur ar weithio amlddisgyblaethol mewn lleoliadau ymarfer cyffredinol, a gynhaliwyd gan y Gymdeithas Fferyllol Frenhinol a Choleg Brenhinol yr Ymarferwyr Cyffredinol, ac adroddiad a gymeradwywyd gan Gymdeithas Siartredig Ffisiotherapi, Coleg Brenhinol y Therapyddion Galwedigaethol a'r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol.
Felly, gallwch weld rhai o'r dulliau rydym yn eu mabwysiadu eisoes mewn gwahanol rannau o'r wlad. Fe fyddwch yn parhau i weld y buddsoddiad hwnnw'n cael ei wneud mewn adnoddau staff yn y dyfodol, fel bod mwy o bobl yn gallu derbyn gofal yn nes at adref, ac yn yr un modd, fel ein bod yn cael mwy o bobl allan o'r ysbyty pan nad yw'n lleoliad priodol i'r gofal ddigwydd mwyach, a'u bod yn cael eu cefnogi'n briodol yn eu cartref eu hunain mewn gwely, boed hynny mewn gofal preswyl neu yn eu cartref eu hunain mewn tref neu bentref yng ngweddill y wlad.
5. Pa gamau y mae'r Gweinidog yn eu cymryd i wella cyfraddau sgrinio ceg y groth yng Nghymru? OAQ55070
5. What action is the Minister taking to improve cervical screening rates in Wales, please? OAQ55070
Public Health Wales is working to improve cervical screening uptake, particularly in women from the age of 25 to 30, who are the lowest-attending demographic. I'm pleased to say that uptake has increased with over 30,000 more women screened by the programme in Wales in 2018-19 compared to the previous year.
Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn gweithio i wella cyfraddau sgrinio ceg y groth, yn enwedig ymhlith menywod rhwng 25 a 30 oed, sef y demograffig lle ceir y nifer isaf o fenywod yn manteisio ar y prawf. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod y cyfraddau wedi cynyddu gyda dros 30,000 yn fwy o fenywod wedi'u sgrinio gan y rhaglen yng Nghymru yn 2018-19 o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn flaenorol.
Thank you for that answer, Minister. Figures provided by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust show that cervical screening attendance in Wales is just over 73 per cent. This is well below the 80 per cent target set by your Government. However, their research reveals that 63 per cent of women who have physical disabilities have been unable to attend cervical screening. What action are you taking, Minister, to tackle this inequality in cervical screening to ensure that women with disabilities have access to this potentially life-saving test in Wales?
Diolch ichi am yr ateb hwnnw, Weinidog. Mae ffigurau a ddarparwyd gan Ymddiriedolaeth Canser Ceg y Groth Jo yn dangos bod y lefelau sy'n manteisio ar brawf sgrinio ceg y groth yng Nghymru ychydig dros 73 y cant. Mae hyn ymhell o dan y targed o 80 y cant a osodwyd gan eich Llywodraeth. Fodd bynnag, mae eu hymchwil yn dangos bod 63 y cant o fenywod sydd ag anableddau corfforol wedi methu mynychu profion ceg y groth. Pa gamau rydych yn eu cymryd, Weinidog, i fynd i'r afael â'r anghydraddoldeb hwn ym maes sgrinio ceg y groth i sicrhau bod menywod ag anableddau yn gallu manteisio ar y prawf hwn a allai achub bywydau yng Nghymru?
Public Health Wales are already reviewing access to a range of their screening programmes to try to understand the lowest attending groups and to understand what they can do on the way the programme is provided, but are also taking a real interest in the self-screening trials that are being run in north and east London. That will be especially interesting to see if that does make a difference for those people who are invited to take part or who are at least six months overdue. So, there is a range of measures being taken, not just in Wales but across the UK. But in Wales, we have a good story to tell about the effectiveness of our screening programme, and in particular we are still the only UK country to have introduced high-risk HPV testing as a primary screening method. It's a more accurate and more sensitive test that will prevent more cancers. So, we look, and we continue to look, for areas of improvement as opposed to simply doing what we've done in the past.
Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru eisoes yn adolygu mynediad at ystod o'u rhaglenni sgrinio er mwyn ceisio deall y grwpiau sy'n manteisio leiaf ar brofion a deall yr hyn y gallant ei wneud ynglŷn â'r ffordd y darperir y rhaglen, ond mae ganddynt ddiddordeb mawr hefyd yn y treialon hunan-sgrinio sy'n cael eu cynnal yng ngogledd a dwyrain Llundain. Bydd yn arbennig o ddiddorol gweld a yw hynny'n gwneud gwahaniaeth i'r bobl a wahoddir i gymryd rhan neu sydd o leiaf chwe mis yn hwyr yn cael prawf. Felly, mae amryw o gamau'n cael eu cymryd, nid yn unig yng Nghymru ond ledled y DU. Ond yng Nghymru, mae gennym stori dda i'w hadrodd am effeithiolrwydd ein rhaglen sgrinio, ac yn benodol, ni yw'r unig wlad yn y DU o hyd i gyflwyno profion feirws papiloma sylfaenol risg uchel fel dull sgrinio sylfaenol. Mae'n brawf mwy cywir a mwy sensitif a fydd yn atal mwy o ganserau. Felly, rydym yn edrych, ac rydym yn parhau i edrych, am feysydd ar gyfer gwella yn hytrach na dim ond gwneud yr hyn rydym wedi'i wneud yn y gorffennol.
Last year, 260,247 individuals aged 25 to 64 were invited for screening, whilst 173,547 individuals were actively screened in 2018-19. Minister, a majority of Welsh women were invited from the screening programme to make a screening appointment, and these figures show that the Welsh national health service is progressing in a vital area for women's health. What further actions, though, can be undertaken to further increase this vital screening coverage and to further increase the uptake of screening invitations by Welsh women, which as we know saves lives?
Y llynedd, gwahoddwyd 260,247 o unigolion rhwng 25 a 64 oed i gael eu sgrinio, ac fe gafodd 173,547 o unigolion eu sgrinio yn 2018-19. Weinidog, gwahoddwyd y mwyafrif o fenywod Cymru gan y rhaglen sgrinio i wneud apwyntiad sgrinio, ac mae'r ffigurau hyn yn dangos bod gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol Cymru yn datblygu mewn maes hanfodol ar gyfer iechyd menywod. Ond pa gamau pellach y gellir eu cymryd i gynyddu ymhellach y ganran hanfodol sy'n cael eu sgrinio ac i gynyddu nifer y menywod yng Nghymru sy'n manteisio ar wahoddiadau sgrinio, sydd, fel y gwyddom, yn achub bywydau?
Yes, you're right, that final point is an important one: this screening programme saves lives. We've listened to the evidence about who to target within the programme, and also the reality that cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer in women under the age of 35. So, it's about the Government, about Public Health Wales and the campaign they're running, it's also about campaigns that other groups run. The #LoveYourCervix social marketing campaign that was launched in March aims to encourage uptake and to reduce the embarrassment that can be a barrier to some people undertaking screening, and to remind that a simple test can be the difference between having an early awareness of a challenge or actually the reality that not undertaking screening can cost lives as well.
Ie, rydych yn iawn, mae'r pwynt olaf hwnnw'n un pwysig: mae'r rhaglen sgrinio hon yn achub bywydau. Rydym wedi gwrando ar y dystiolaeth ynglŷn â phwy i'w dargedu o fewn y rhaglen, yn ogystal â'r realiti mai canser ceg y groth yw'r math mwyaf cyffredin o ganser mewn menywod o dan 35 oed. Felly, mae'n ymwneud â'r Llywodraeth, Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a'r ymgyrch y maent yn ei chynnal, mae hefyd yn ymwneud ag ymgyrchoedd y mae grwpiau eraill yn eu cynnal. Nod ymgyrch ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, #LoveYourCervix, a lansiwyd ym mis Mawrth, yw annog pobl i fanteisio ar y cynllun a lleihau'r embaras a all fod yn rhwystr i rai pobl rhag cael eu sgrinio, ac i atgoffa y gall prawf syml olygu'r gwahaniaeth rhwng bod ag ymwybyddiaeth gynnar o her neu'r realiti y gall peidio â sgrinio arwain at golli bywydau hefyd.
6. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am recriwtio a hyfforddi deintyddion yng ngogledd Cymru? OAQ55079
6. Will the Minister make a statement on the recruiting and training of dentists in north Wales? OAQ55079
There are now more dentists providing NHS care in north Wales and we have increased training for dental hygienists and therapists by 41 per cent. Building on this progress, Health Education and Improvement Wales is reviewing training provision and considering different service models that could improve dentists' workloads and make practices more sustainable.
Erbyn hyn, mae mwy o ddeintyddion yn darparu gofal y GIG yng ngogledd Cymru ac rydym wedi sicrhau cynnydd o 41 y cant yn y nifer sy'n hyfforddi i ddod yn hylenwyr a therapyddion deintyddol. Gan adeiladu ar y cynnydd hwn, mae Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru yn adolygu'r ddarpariaeth hyfforddiant ac yn ystyried modelau gwasanaeth gwahanol a allai wella llwyth gwaith deintyddion a gwneud practisau'n fwy cynaliadwy.
Diolch am yr ymateb yna. Y gwir amdani ydy mai diffyg deintyddion ydy'r broblem fwyaf rydym ni'n ei wynebu, dwi'n meddwl, yn hytrach na diffyg arian, yn y cyd-destun yma, o ran darparu gwasanaethau deintyddol yn y gogledd. Dydyn ni ddim wedi bod yn hyfforddi digon o ddeintyddion yng Nghymru, ac mae rhy ychydig o'r deintyddion sydd yn cael eu hyfforddi yn dod o Gymru ac yn bwriadu aros yma.
Mae'r rhain yn swnio'n ddadleuon cyfarwydd iawn, wrth gwrs, achos dyma'r union ddadleuon roeddem ni'n eu cyflwyno dros gyfnod llawer rhy hir o ran yr angen i gael hyfforddi meddygon yn y gogledd. Mi gymerodd yn rhy hir. Rŵan bod yr hyfforddi meddygon yna yn digwydd, mae pobl yn gweld y posibiliadau ac yn sôn yn barod am sefydlu ysgol feddygol lawn, a hefyd yn edrych ymlaen at gael uned hyfforddi deintyddion ym Mangor hefyd i gyd-fynd â'r ysgol feddygol.
Mae hyn yn rhywbeth dwi'n ei groesawu'n fawr. Gofyn ydw i am ymrwymiad gennych chi fel Llywodraeth i sicrhau na fydd yna unrhyw rwystrau o flaen sicrhau bod yr uned yma'n gallu digwydd, a digwydd yn fuan, er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr bod y broblem yma o weithlu deintyddol yn gallu cael pob siawns o gael ei datrys.
Thank you for that response. The truth of the matter is that a shortage of dentists is the major problem we are facing, rather than a lack of money, in this context, in terms of the provision of dentistry services in north Wales. We haven't been training enough dentists in Wales, and too few of the dentists who are trained come from Wales and intend to remain here.
These may sound like very familiar arguments, because these are the very arguments that we were making over far too long a period in terms of the need to have medical training in north Wales. It took too long. Now that that medical training is in place, people are seeing the possibilities and are already talking about establishing a full medical school, and also looking forward to having a dental training unit in Bangor to run alongside the medical school.
This is something that I would warmly welcome. I'm asking for a commitment from you as a Government to ensure that there will be no barriers in terms of ensuring that this unit can be established, and established soon, in order to ensure that this problem of the dentistry workforce can be given every chance of being addressed.
Well, looking at the broader dentistry workforce, on my last visit to north Wales, I managed to visit the Valley Dental Practice on my way to celebrating the opening of the all-Wales faculty for dental professional training in Bangor University. So, we're investing in north Wales and that is, like I said, the all-Wales faculty, providing training and leadership for that wider group of dental care professionals. Actually, the example of the Valley practice is a good example of where contract reform is making a real difference, from recruiting a dentist who then works with a wider range of professionals, that now means that there are 3,000 more NHS patients on lists in that particular area compared with two years ago. And that is because of the deliberate use of skill mix and the professional development needs they've got. When I met people in the faculty in Bangor, they were talking about the help they've been able to provide to a range of practices about how they run their practice and what that means in terms of the best use of the time of the dentists themselves, and also making it a more attractive proposition for people to come into the area.
I am, of course, open-minded about the future for dental training. I don't have a hard-and-fast idea about not increasing numbers or, indeed, where those people train. It's about having a properly evidenced case and understanding what that means in terms of investment and the opportunities to do so. As we have done with general practice training, we've shown a level of ambition that we've been able to meet and to consistently increase over the last couple of years. I'm entirely open-minded about the evidence that we get from the investments we're already making about what that could mean, not just for north Wales, but for the rest of the country too.
Wel, o edrych ar y gweithlu deintyddiaeth ehangach, ar fy ymweliad diwethaf â gogledd Cymru, llwyddais i ymweld â Deintyddfa Fali ar fy ffordd i ddathlu agoriad cyfadran Cymru ar gyfer hyfforddiant deintyddol proffesiynol ym Mhrifysgol Bangor. Felly, rydym yn buddsoddi yng ngogledd Cymru a honno, fel y dywedais, yw'r gyfadran ar gyfer Cymru gyfan, sy'n darparu hyfforddiant ac arweiniad i'r grŵp ehangach o weithwyr gofal deintyddol proffesiynol. Mewn gwirionedd, mae deintyddfa Fali yn enghraifft dda o'r modd y mae diwygio contractau yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol, o recriwtio deintydd sydd wedyn yn gweithio gydag ystod ehangach o weithwyr proffesiynol, mae hynny bellach yn golygu bod 3,000 yn fwy o gleifion y GIG ar restrau yn yr ardal honno o gymharu â dwy flynedd yn ôl. A hynny oherwydd y defnydd bwriadol o gymysgedd sgiliau a'r anghenion datblygiad proffesiynol sydd ganddynt. Pan gyfarfûm â phobl yn y gyfadran ym Mangor, roeddent yn sôn am y cymorth y maent wedi gallu ei roi i amrywiaeth o ddeintyddfeydd ar sut i redeg eu deintyddfa a beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran defnydd gorau o amser y deintyddion eu hunain, ac mae hefyd yn ei wneud yn gynnig mwy deniadol i bobl ddod i'r ardal.
Mae gennyf feddwl agored wrth gwrs am ddyfodol hyfforddiant deintyddol. Nid oes gennyf syniad pendant ynglŷn â sut i gynyddu niferoedd nac, yn wir, lle mae'r bobl hynny'n hyfforddi. Mae'n ymwneud â chael achos â thystiolaeth briodol yn sail iddo a deall beth y mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran buddsoddi a'r cyfleoedd i wneud hynny. Fel rydym wedi'i wneud gyda hyfforddiant ymarfer cyffredinol, rydym wedi dangos lefel o uchelgais y gallasom ei chyrraedd a'i chynyddu'n gyson dros y flwyddyn neu ddwy ddiwethaf. Mae gennyf feddwl cwbl agored am y dystiolaeth a gawn o'r buddsoddiadau rydym eisoes yn eu gwneud mewn perthynas â'r hyn y gallai hynny ei olygu, nid yn unig i ogledd Cymru, ond i weddill y wlad hefyd.
7. A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am flaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd yng ngorllewin Cymru dros y 12 mis nesaf? OAQ55067
7. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's priorities for health services in west Wales for the next 12 months? OAQ55067
Our priority is to provide the people of Wales, including those in west Wales, with health services that deliver the best possible outcomes for patients. We will be guided by the best and most up-to-date clinical evidence and advice to deliver the high-quality care that the people of west Wales deserve.
Ein blaenoriaeth yw darparu gwasanaethau iechyd i bobl Cymru sy'n sicrhau'r canlyniadau gorau posibl i gleifion, gan gynnwys y gwasanaethau yng ngorllewin Cymru. Byddwn yn cael ein harwain gan y dystiolaeth a'r cyngor clinigol gorau a mwyaf diweddar i ddarparu'r gofal o ansawdd uchel y mae pobl gorllewin Cymru yn ei haeddu.
Minister, I'm sure that one of your priorities for the west Wales health service will be in response to the latest eye care measures data, which shows that only 60.6 per cent of patients are being seen within the target date at Hywel Dda University Health Board. This figure has dropped by nearly 7 per cent since April last year, when 67.5 per cent of patients were seen within the target time, so it's clear that intervention is now needed to ensure that these figures do not continue to decline. Can you, therefore, tell us what immediate steps the Welsh Government will be taking to address this issue, and can you also tell us how the Welsh Government will futureproof ophthalmic services so that enough ophthalmic staff are available to prevent long waiting lists and irreversible harm in the future?
Weinidog, rwy'n siŵr y bydd un o'ch blaenoriaethau ar gyfer gwasanaeth iechyd gorllewin Cymru yn ymateb i'r data diweddaraf ar fesurau gofal llygaid, sy'n dangos mai 60.6 y cant yn unig o gleifion sy'n cael eu gweld o fewn y dyddiad targed ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda. Mae'r ffigur hwn wedi gostwng bron i 7 y cant ers mis Ebrill y llynedd, pan gafodd 67.5 y cant o gleifion eu gweld o fewn yr amser targed, felly mae'n amlwg fod angen ymyrraeth bellach i sicrhau nad yw'r ffigurau hyn yn parhau i gwympo. A allwch chi ddweud wrthym felly pa gamau uniongyrchol y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i fynd i’r afael â’r mater hwn, ac a allwch ddweud wrthym hefyd sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn diogelu gwasanaethau offthalmig ar gyfer y dyfodol fel bod digon o staff offthalmig ar gael i atal rhestrau aros hir a niwed na ellir ei wrthdroi yn y dyfodol?
It's actually about investing across the whole system, as I'm sure the Member will be aware. This isn't simply about the consultant end of the service, it's actually about getting the right people to the different parts of the service. That's why our reform programme in the primary care end is really important. I did recently discuss these matters with the chief optometric adviser, and these are matters that I intend to take up with chairs and vice-chairs of health boards in my next round of meetings, because having decided to introduce the new eye care measures because they are more accurate and useful measures, I then want to see achievement against them.
Actually, without properly reforming the way that the system works, we won't see the sort of improvements that you and every other Member in this place would want to see. So, that is, then, about making sure that we have the availability within high-street optometry for different services so that those people don't, then, need to be on a consultant list. You can expect to see the consistent implementation of those pathways within this year, in place in every part of Wales—that's the expectation that I've set. That should, then, make better use of the capacity that exists in secondary care, and, actually, it would make our services more attractive, because consultant ophthalmologists themselves are people who can still choose where they wish to work. We need to address the whole workforce to deliver the sort of outcomes that you and I both want to see.
Mae'n ymwneud â buddsoddi ar draws y system gyfan mewn gwirionedd, fel y gŵyr yr Aelod, rwy'n siŵr. Nid oes a wnelo hyn â phen ymgynghorol y gwasanaeth yn unig, mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod y bobl iawn yn mynd i wahanol rannau'r gwasanaeth. Dyna pam fod ein rhaglen ddiwygio ar y pen gofal sylfaenol yn bwysig iawn. Yn ddiweddar, bûm yn trafod y materion hyn gyda'r prif gynghorydd optometrig, ac mae'r rhain yn faterion rwy'n bwriadu eu codi gyda chadeiryddion ac is-gadeiryddion byrddau iechyd yn fy rownd nesaf o gyfarfodydd, oherwydd ar ôl penderfynu cyflwyno'r mesurau gofal llygaid newydd gan eu bod yn fesurau mwy cywir a defnyddiol, hoffwn weld cyflawniad yn eu herbyn.
Mewn gwirionedd, heb ddiwygio'r ffordd y mae'r system yn gweithio yn iawn, ni fyddwn yn gweld y math o welliannau y byddech chi a phob Aelod arall yn y lle hwn yn dymuno'u gweld. Felly, mae hynny'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod gwahanol wasanaethau ar gael mewn optometreg ar y stryd fawr fel nad oes angen i'r bobl hynny fod ar restr meddyg ymgynghorol. Gallwch ddisgwyl gweld y llwybrau hynny'n cael eu rhoi ar waith yn gyson eleni ym mhob rhan o Gymru—dyna'r disgwyliad rwyf wedi'i nodi. Dylai hynny, felly, wneud gwell defnydd o'r capasiti sy'n bodoli mewn gofal eilaidd, ac mewn gwirionedd, byddai'n gwneud ein gwasanaethau'n fwy deniadol, gan fod yr offthalmolegwyr ymgynghorol eu hunain yn bobl sy'n gallu dewis o hyd ble maent yn dymuno gweithio. Mae angen inni fynd i'r afael â'r gweithlu cyfan i gyflawni'r math o ganlyniadau rydych chi a minnau am eu gweld.
Y cwestiwn olaf, cwestiwn 8, Suzy Davies.
The final question, question 8, Suzy Davies.
8. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i osgoi presenoldeb diangen y gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru? OAQ55088
8. What is the Welsh Government doing to avoid unnecessary attendance of accident and emergency services in Wales? OAQ55088
We know that pressures across the whole health and social care system contribute to challenges at our emergency departments. We continue to work with NHS Wales and partners to manage demand across the system in different ways. This includes providing a broader range of care much closer to home.
Gwyddom fod pwysau ar draws y system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gyfan yn cyfrannu at heriau yn ein hadrannau brys. Rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda GIG Cymru a phartneriaid i reoli'r galw ar draws y system mewn gwahanol ffyrdd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys darparu ystod ehangach o ofal yn llawer agosach at adref.
Thank you for that response, and I heard your earlier responses to Jack Sargeant on that question. The Choose Well campaign, of course, is very obvious at the moment, but, realistically, sometimes people have to choose between NHS Direct and A&E—it is an experience I've actually had myself. I note the minor injury unit review that you mentioned, but what increase have you seen in the number of GP surgeries that are open on the weekends that offer MIU services and the number of pharmacies that are open out of hours?
Diolch am eich ymateb, a chlywais eich ymatebion cynharach i Jack Sargeant ar y cwestiwn hwnnw. Mae'r ymgyrch Dewis Doeth, wrth gwrs, yn amlwg iawn ar hyn o bryd, ond yn realistig, weithiau mae'n rhaid i bobl ddewis rhwng Galw Iechyd Cymru a'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys—mae'n brofiad rwyf wedi'i gael fy hun. Nodaf yr adolygiad o unedau mân anafiadau y sonioch chi amdano, ond pa gynnydd a welsoch yn nifer y meddygfeydd sydd ar agor ar y penwythnosau ac sy'n cynnig gwasanaethau uned mân anafiadau a nifer y fferyllfeydd sydd ar agor y tu allan i oriau?
I can't give you the exact figures on those two particular areas, but I do know that, with our deliberate investment in community pharmacy, we're seeing more services delivered consistently across community pharmacy. Good examples are, of course, the minor ailments service and the sore throat testing service available. Actually, showing the success of that measure, one of the new intake of Conservative Members of Parliament in north Wales was celebrating the success of the sore throat testing service that this Government has introduced, so it shows that we are dealing with real demand in a way that makes a difference.
It's also, then, about our ability to properly staff some of the out-of-hours services, so the 111 roll-out programme is really important as part of it. And it's investing across our whole system. That's why the additional staff that have gone into the clinical desk service in the Welsh ambulance service really matter, because there are more people who could be treated over the phone and discharged, as well as having people who can be seen and discharged without needing to go to a hospital as well. So, there's a range of progress already taking place right across the system, and I look forward to being able to report more on that success over the months ahead.
Ni allaf roi'r union ffigurau i chi ar y ddau faes penodol hwnnw, ond gwn ein bod, gyda'n buddsoddiad bwriadol mewn fferylliaeth gymunedol, yn gweld mwy o wasanaethau'n cael eu darparu'n gyson ym maes fferylliaeth gymunedol. Enghreifftiau da, wrth gwrs, yw'r gwasanaeth mân anhwylderau a'r gwasanaeth profi dolur gwddf sydd ar gael. A dweud y gwir, i ddangos llwyddiant y mesur hwnnw, bu un o'r Aelodau Seneddol Ceidwadol newydd yng ngogledd Cymru yn dathlu llwyddiant y gwasanaeth profi dolur gwddf y mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi'i gyflwyno, felly mae'n dangos ein bod yn ymdrin â galw gwirioneddol mewn ffordd sy'n gwneud gwahaniaeth.
Mae a wnelo hyn hefyd felly â'n gallu i staffio rhai o'r gwasanaethau y tu allan i oriau yn iawn, felly mae'r rhaglen gyflwyno 111 yn bwysig iawn fel rhan o hynny. Ac mae'n buddsoddi ar draws ein system gyfan. Dyna pam y mae'r staff ychwanegol a gafwyd yng ngwasanaeth y ddesg glinigol yng ngwasanaeth ambiwlans Cymru yn bwysig iawn, gan y gellir trin a rhyddhau mwy o bobl dros y ffôn, yn ogystal â gallu gweld a rhyddhau pobl heb fod angen iddynt fynd i'r ysbyty hefyd. Felly, mae ystod o gynnydd eisoes yn digwydd ar draws y system, ac edrychaf ymlaen at allu adrodd mwy ar y llwyddiant hwnnw dros y misoedd i ddod.
Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ateb y cwestiynau.
Thank you, Minister, for responding to those questions.
Detholwyd y gwelliannau canlynol: gwelliant 1 yn enw Rebecca Evans, gwelliant 2 yn enw Siân Gwenllian, gwelliant 3 yn enw Neil McEvoy, a gwelliant 4 yn enwau Mick Antoniw, Dawn Bowden, Huw Irranca-Davies a Vikki Howells.
The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Rebecca Evans, amendment 2 in the name of Siân Gwenllian, amendment 3 in the name of Neil McEvoy, and amendment 4 in the names of Mick Antoniw, Dawn Bowden, Huw Irranca-Davies and Vikki Howells.
Yr eitem nesaf felly yw dadl y Ceidawdwyr Cymreig ar adrannau brys y gwasanaeth iechyd. Dwi'n galw ar Angela Burns i wneud y cynnig—Angela Burns.
The next item is the Welsh Conservatives' debate on emergency departments in the NHS, and I call on Angela Burns to move the motion—Angela Burns.
Cynnig NDM7266 Darren Millar
Cynnig bod Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru:
1. Yn nodi'r pryderon a fynegwyd gan gleifion a chlinigwyr ledled Cymru ynghylch perfformiad a dyfodol adrannau achosion brys y GIG.
2. Yn gwrthod cynigion gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg a allai arwain at roi terfyn ar wasanaethau 24 awr a gaiff eu harwain gan feddygon ymgynghorol yn adran achosion brys Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg.
3. Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ymyrryd er mwyn atal unrhyw achos o israddio neu gau adrannau achosion brys yng Nghymru yn ystod y Cynulliad hwn.
Motion NDM7266 Darren Millar
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Notes the concerns expressed by patients and clinicians across Wales regarding the performance and future of NHS emergency departments.
2. Rejects proposals by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board which could lead to an end to 24-hour consultant-led services at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital's emergency department.
3. Calls upon the Welsh Government to intervene to prevent any downgrading or closures of emergency departments in Wales during this Assembly.
Cynigiwyd y cynnig.
Motion moved.
Llywydd, thank you. I formally move the motion before us, tabled today in the name of the Welsh Conservatives by Darren Millar.
You will see that we ask that the Welsh Assembly
'Notes the concerns expressed by patients and clinicians across Wales regarding the performance and future of NHS emergency departments.
'Rejects proposals by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board which could lead to an end to 24-hour consultant-led services at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital's emergency department.'
and we're calling upon the Welsh Government
'to intervene to prevent any downgrading or closures of emergency departments in Wales during this Assembly.'
Now, before I start, I do want to make it clear that the numerical information within my contribution has been taken directly from StatsWales, the Nuffield Trust, the Welsh Government itself or the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. And this is an important point to make, because we must not allow the Welsh Government to be in denial over the situation we are seeing and that staff and patients are experiencing across Wales's emergency departments. Nor can we allow Labour and the Welsh Government to continue to blame austerity or finances, the Conservatives down the M4 corridor, or untold, unknown and unexplained pressures or, indeed, the statistics they don't like, because the concerns expressed by patients and clinicians are at an all-time high.
Yesterday, I heard the First Minister repeat the mantra that the NHS satisfaction survey reported a 93 per cent satisfaction rate, but you know, Minister, and I know that this is a use of quantitative statistics at its worst, because it pays no heed to the deeper analysis required. People are grateful for the service they've got, but when you ask them how the service performed they will tell you about the waits, they will tell you about the lost records and the moving around the hospitals. And let me quote directly from some of the responses to the big NHS survey that the Welsh Conservatives are currently running across social media platforms. Here's one:
'In the main, quite happy with my treatment with the exception of A&E where, due to understaffing, due to too much money spent of management who don't appear to understand what a hospital's supposed to do, they work their socks off despite being under-resourced'.
Or another:
'I called an ambulance for my 87-year-old unconscious relative. It took over an hour and a half to arrive. They took her to Wrexham hospital. After eight hours, they'd done nothing. Fantastic staff are working reliably. A&E waiting times are not good enough. My relative wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the doctors and nurses, but the system was appalling.'
So, of course, they are 93 per cent satisfied that their relative is still there, but the experience was horrendous. And clinicians tell us that winter 2019-20 has been difficult, with the lowest percentage of patients being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours since records began—and let me repeat that—since records began. In December 2019, only 66.4 per cent of patients were seen within four hours—sounds good? Well, let's flip that around. That's 33.6 per cent of patients who are not seen within four hours. Let me repeat that: that's one third of patients who waited longer than four hours to be seen at an A&E in Wales.
But Members, the number of attendees in December 2019 is not a shocker. This is an average of 55,560 patients turning up to our emergency departments each month so far this winter, compared with 67,490 last winter, and 65,629 the winter before that. So, let me repeat that: fewer patients are turning up at our A&Es this winter than last year and the year before, but the performance has gone down. And given that a third of patients were not seen within four hours, then it is only logical that the number of patients waiting more than eight and 12 hours is increasing every winter—StatsWales, your information.
Lywydd, diolch. Rwy'n cynnig yn ffurfiol y cynnig ger ein bron a gyflwynwyd heddiw yn enw Ceidwadwyr Cymru gan Darren Millar.
Fe welwch ein bod yn gofyn i Gynulliad Cymru
‘Nodi'r pryderon a fynegwyd gan gleifion a chlinigwyr ledled Cymru ynghylch perfformiad a dyfodol adrannau achosion brys y GIG.’
i ‘wrthod cynigion gan Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg a allai arwain at roi terfyn ar wasanaethau 24 awr a gaiff eu harwain gan feddygon ymgynghorol yn adran achosion brys Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg.’
ac rydym yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i
'ymyrryd er mwyn atal unrhyw achos o israddio neu gau adrannau achosion brys yng Nghymru yn ystod y Cynulliad hwn.’
Nawr, cyn i mi ddechrau, hoffwn ddweud yn glir fod y wybodaeth rifiadol yn fy nghyfraniad wedi'i chymryd yn uniongyrchol gan StatsCymru, Ymddiriedolaeth Nuffield, Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun neu'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys. Ac mae hwn yn bwynt pwysig i'w wneud, gan fod yn rhaid i ni beidio â chaniatáu i Lywodraeth Cymru wadu’r sefyllfa rydym yn ei gweld ac y mae staff a chleifion yn ei hwynebu ar draws adrannau brys Cymru. Ni allwn ychwaith ganiatáu i Lafur a Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i feio cyni neu gyllid, y Ceidwadwyr i lawr coridor yr M4, neu bwysau di-baid, anhysbys ac anesboniadwy, neu'n wir, yr ystadegau nad ydynt yn eu hoffi, gan fod y pryderon a fynegir gan gleifion a chlinigwyr yn uwch nag erioed.
Ddoe, clywais y Prif Weinidog yn ailadrodd y mantra fod arolwg boddhad y GIG wedi nodi cyfradd boddhad o 93 y cant, ond fe wyddoch chi, Weinidog, a gwn innau mai'r defnydd o ystadegau meintiol ar ei waethaf yw hyn, gan nad yw'n rhoi unrhyw sylw i’r dadansoddi dyfnach sy'n ofynnol. Mae pobl yn ddiolchgar am y gwasanaeth sydd ganddynt, ond pan ofynnwch iddynt sut y perfformiodd y gwasanaeth, byddant yn dweud wrthych am yr amseroedd aros, byddant yn dweud wrthych am y cofnodion coll a'r symud o gwmpas yr ysbytai. A gadewch i mi ddyfynnu’n uniongyrchol o rai o’r ymatebion i arolwg mawr y GIG y mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn ei gynnal ar blatfformau’r cyfryngau cymdeithasol ar hyn o bryd. Dyma un:
Ar y cyfan, rwy’n eithaf hapus gyda fy nhriniaeth ac eithrio'r adran damweiniau ac achosion brys lle maent yn gweithio'n ofnadwy o galed er nad oes ganddynt ddigon o adnoddau, a hynny oherwydd prinder staff, oherwydd bod gormod o arian yn cael ei wario ar reolwyr nad ymddengys eu bod yn deall beth y mae ysbyty i fod i'w wneud.
Neu un arall:
Ffoniais am ambiwlans ar gyfer fy mherthynas 87 oed, a oedd yn anymwybodol. Cymerodd dros awr a hanner i gyrraedd. Fe aethant â hi i ysbyty Wrecsam. Ar ôl wyth awr, nid oeddent wedi gwneud dim. Mae’r staff gwych yn gweithio'n ddibynadwy. Nid yw amseroedd aros mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn ddigon da. Ni fyddai fy mherthynas yma heddiw oni bai am y meddygon a'r nyrsys, ond roedd y system yn warthus.
Felly, wrth gwrs, maent 93 y cant yn fodlon fod eu perthynas yn dal i fod yma, ond roedd y profiad yn erchyll. A dywed clinigwyr wrthym fod gaeaf 2019-20 wedi bod yn anodd, gyda’r ganran isaf o gleifion yn cael eu derbyn, eu trosglwyddo neu eu rhyddhau o fewn pedair awr ers dechrau cadw cofnodion—a gadewch i mi ailadrodd hynny—ers dechrau cadw cofnodion. Ym mis Rhagfyr 2019, 66.4 y cant yn unig o gleifion a welwyd o fewn pedair awr—swnio'n dda? Wel, gadewch i ni droi hynny ar ei ben. Dyna 33.6 y cant o gleifion na chawsant eu gweld o fewn pedair awr. Gadewch i mi ailadrodd hynny: arhosodd traean o'r cleifion fwy na phedair awr i gael eu gweld mewn adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghymru.
Ond Aelodau, nid yw nifer y cleifion ym mis Rhagfyr 2019 yn syndod. Mae cyfartaledd o 55,560 o gleifion wedi dod i'n hadrannau brys bob mis hyd yn hyn y gaeaf hwn, o gymharu â 67,490 y gaeaf diwethaf, a 65,629 y gaeaf cyn hynny. Felly, gadewch i mi ailadrodd hynny: mae llai o gleifion yn dod i’n hadrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys y gaeaf hwn na'r llynedd a'r flwyddyn flaenorol, ond mae'r perfformiad wedi gwaethygu. Ac o ystyried na welwyd traean o'r cleifion o fewn pedair awr, mae'n gwneud synnwyr fod nifer y cleifion sy'n aros mwy nag wyth a 12 awr yn cynyddu bob gaeaf—StatsCymru, eich gwybodaeth chi.
Will you take an intervention?
A wnewch chi dderbyn ymyriad?
I will in a moment, Jenny. In fact, winter 2019-20 represents the highest number of patients and the result is that patient safety is being compromised, staff morale is at an all-time low. While money for winter pressures, Minister, is welcome, ad hoc cash injections are simply a temporary solution. What the NHS needs is a substantial increase in resources, which should be deployed to ensure that there's measurable increase in available staff and acute beds.
Thankfully, the UK Conservative Government has committed to boost Welsh NHS funding by £1.9 billion over the next three years. This is a significant sum that could and should be used for the betterment of our NHS. Before the Labour backbenchers leap to their feet, I would make the point that no Conservative Prime Minister has ever cut an NHS budget. So, shame on Mark Drakeford and your Welsh Labour Cabinet for cutting yours. Between 2010-11 and 2015-16—[Interruption.] I most certainly will for you, First Minister.
Mewn eiliad, Jenny. Mewn gwirionedd, gaeaf 2019-20 a welodd y nifer uchaf o gleifion a'r canlyniad yw bod diogelwch cleifion yn cael ei beryglu, mae morâl staff ar ei lefel isaf erioed. Er bod arian ar gyfer pwysau'r gaeaf i'w groesawu, Weinidog, ateb dros dro yn unig yw chwistrelliadau ad hoc o arian. Yr hyn sydd ei angen ar y GIG yw cynnydd sylweddol yn ei adnoddau, y dylid eu defnyddio i sicrhau cynnydd mesuradwy yn y staff sydd ar gael a gwelyau acíwt.
Diolch byth, mae Llywodraeth Geidwadol y DU wedi ymrwymo i roi hwb o £1.9 biliwn i gyllid GIG Cymru dros y tair blynedd nesaf. Mae hwn yn swm sylweddol y gellid ac y dylid ei ddefnyddio i wella ein GIG. Cyn i Aelodau Llafur ar y meinciau cefn godi ar eu traed, hoffwn wneud y pwynt nad oes yr un o Brif Weinidogion Ceidwadol y DU erioed wedi torri cyllideb y GIG. Felly, cywilydd ar Mark Drakeford a'ch Cabinet Llafur Cymru am dorri'ch un chi. Rhwng 2010-11 a 2015-16—[Torri ar draws.] Yn sicr, fe wnaf i chi, Brif Weinidog.
Thank you. Considering that you decided that you would name me—
Diolch. O ystyried eich bod wedi penderfynu y byddech yn fy enwi—
Well, you are the First Minister.
Wel, chi yw'r Prif Weinidog.
—name me the year in which I was in Government in which the NHS budget in this Assembly was cut. Given that you named me specifically, give me the year.
—rhowch y flwyddyn pan oeddwn yn y Llywodraeth lle torrwyd cyllideb y GIG yn y Cynulliad hwn. O ystyried eich bod wedi fy enwi'n benodol, rhowch y flwyddyn i mi.
You've cut it year on year and we can give you the statistics, First Minister.
Rydych wedi'i thorri flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn a gallwn roi'r ystadegau i chi, Brif Weinidog.
Absolutely untrue.
Cwbl anghywir.
And, First Minister, you are responsible for the Welsh Labour Government.
A chi sy'n gyfrifol am Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru, Brif Weinidog.
You can't answer the question because what you've said is not true.
Ni allwch ateb y cwestiwn gan nad yw'r hyn rydych wedi'i ddweud yn wir.
Between—. I'm giving you the years. Between 2010-11 and 2015-16—
Rhwng—. Rwy'n rhoi'r blynyddoedd i chi. Rhwng 2010-11 a 2015-16—
When I was in Government, I asked you.
Pan oeddwn yn y Llywodraeth, gofynnais i chi.
First Minister, you were the special adviser to the—. You are now in Government, you were the health Minister, you were the finance Minister and now you're the First Minister.
Brif Weinidog, chi oedd cynghorydd arbennig y—. Rydych yn y Llywodraeth ar hyn o bryd, chi oedd y Gweinidog iechyd, chi oedd y Gweinidog cyllid, a bellach, chi yw'r Prif Weinidog.
And you'll never find a year.
Ac ni ddowch byth o hyd i flwyddyn.
Maybe I should call you First Minister Pontius Pilate.
The Welsh Conservatives do recognise that winter pressures are no longer exclusive to winter months. Poor performance is now a year-round reality and whilst there are particular issues experienced in winter, overall performance continues to decline, which in and of itself, Llywydd, must bring a ferocious level of stress and exhaustion to the front-line staff tasked with delivering services. And to them I give my heartfelt thanks. This debate is not about trying to hammer them into the floor, but to give them the support and resources they need to lift them up so that they can do the job they love; they can have the training and career they wanted; and the work-life balance that we all need for our health and our mental well-being.
I challenge totally the notion that untold, unknown and unexplained pressures are to blame for the situation across our emergency departments. It is a fact that attendance at emergency departments has only grown by 7.4 per cent, yet in the same time period, eight-hour waits have gone up by 254 per cent. And, Welsh Government's data has come up trumps because we know that since 2013, when data collection for 12-hour performance began, the number of people waiting for 12 hours or more has gone up by a staggering 318 per cent. We know that longer waits in emergency departments are almost always associated with poor patient flow through hospitals, congestion in hospital wards and inadequate social care provision in the community. This is certainly true when we consider the number of hospital beds available.
I think it was Andrew who might have mentioned hospital beds earlier—somebody did—and occupancy rates. Data from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine demonstrates that the correlation between bed occupancy and the ability to meet the four-hour target is strong. In short, fellow Assembly Members, it's simple: additional bed capacity would mean a significant improvement in patient waiting time. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine strongly believes that we need 226 beds. Those extra beds would achieve a safe bed occupancy of 85 per cent. So, this pressure we see on our A&Es could be alleviated by having just under 250 extra beds.
The whole-system problem that we are seeing here will be exacerbated by the desire of Welsh Government to cut and to centralise their provision of emergency care services. Please don't roll out the recent mantra that it's up to the clinicians to decide. I think, Leanne Wood, you put your case very clearly earlier on: clinicians are saying, 'Keep our emergency services', and it's health boards, Governments, the south Wales programme, the Marcus Longley report that's all about centralisation, centralisation, centralisation.
I'm going to quickly turn to the amendments because I can see my time is running out. I do despair to see the Welsh Government has done yet another 'delete all' to stifle debate. I acknowledge that the Labour and Plaid backbenchers have signed a statement concerning the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, but point 2 of the Government's amendment is the usual hand-wringing promises that health boards will ask you for your views and then do what they've always planned to do anyway. This comes after years of uncertainty for the hospital's A&E services since the publishment of the south Wales programme consultation document in 2013.
Staffing at the hospitals is hitting dangerously low levels. Not only are all major A&E units in Cwm Taf staffed well below UK-wide standards, but on Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2019, ambulances had to be diverted from the hospital to Prince Charles because of a lack of doctors. The proposals by the health board have met with significant opposition from surrounding communities. Concerns revolve around the safety of patients who will now have to travel further to receive emergency care as well as vastly increasing the pressure on other A&E departments at a time when the other hospitals serving Cwm Taf did not even reach the Welsh average four-hour waiting times in December 2019.
I will support Plaid Cymru's amendment, which highlights the importance of workforce planning throughout the country, not just in the areas traditionally easiest to staff, such as south-east Wales, because it is only right that staff shortages should never be used to justify closures and service changes.
I also agree with Neil McEvoy's very clear amendment and the amendment from the Labour backbenches, because this Welsh Labour Government must reject proposals by Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board to end 24-hour consultant-led accident and emergency services at the Royal Glamorgan. And I would go further and say that the Welsh Government must review the Marcus Longley case for change report of 2012 and the south Wales programme, both of which are no longer current, both of which set a direction of travel that may no longer suit Wales, and, to be frank, both of which seem to promote services that are ever further away from the public that the health boards, the Minister and the NHS are there to serve.
I trust that the Labour backbenchers will support our motion and that by presenting a united front across all political parties, we can send a loud and clear message to the health boards across Wales. Listen to the people: do not close, cut or downgrade our emergency departments. I commend this motion to the Chamber.
Efallai y dylwn eich galw’n Brif Weinidog Pontiws Peilat.
Mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn cydnabod nad yw pwysau'r gaeaf bellach yn gyfyngedig i fisoedd y gaeaf. Mae perfformiad gwael bellach yn realiti drwy gydol y flwyddyn ac er bod problemau penodol yn y gaeaf, mae perfformiad cyffredinol yn parhau i waethygu, ac mae’n rhaid bod hynny ynddo'i hun yn peri lefel aruthrol o straen a blinder i'r staff ar y rheng flaen sy’n gyfrifol am ddarparu gwasanaethau. Ac rwy’n diolch o galon iddynt. Nid pwrpas y ddadl hon yw ceisio lladd arnynt, ond rhoi'r gefnogaeth a'r adnoddau sydd eu hangen arnynt i'w codi fel y gallant wneud y gwaith y maent yn ei garu; gallant gael yr hyfforddiant a'r yrfa roeddent am ei chael; a'r cydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith sydd ei angen ar bob un ohonom ar gyfer ein hiechyd a'n lles meddyliol.
Rwy'n herio'r syniad yn gyfan gwbl mai pwysau di-baid, anhysbys ac anesboniadwy sydd ar fai am y sefyllfa ar draws ein hadrannau brys. Mae'n ffaith nad yw'r nifer sy'n mynychu adrannau achosion brys ond wedi cynyddu 7.4 y cant yn unig, ond yn yr un cyfnod, mae'r nifer sy'n aros am wyth awr wedi cynyddu 254 y cant. Ac mae data Llywodraeth Cymru wedi datgelu'r gwir gan y gwyddom, ers 2013, pan ddechreuodd y gwaith o gasglu data ar gyfer perfformiad 12 awr, fod nifer y bobl sy'n aros am 12 awr neu fwy wedi cynyddu 318 y cant, sy’n ffigur syfrdanol. Gwyddom fod amseroedd aros hirach mewn adrannau brys bron bob amser yn gysylltiedig â llif cleifion gwael drwy ysbytai, tagfeydd mewn wardiau ysbytai a darpariaeth gofal cymdeithasol annigonol yn y gymuned. Mae hyn yn sicr yn wir pan ystyriwn nifer y gwelyau ysbyty sydd ar gael.
Credaf efallai mai Andrew a soniodd am welyau ysbyty yn gynharach—gwnaeth rhywun—a chyfraddau defnydd gwelyau. Mae data gan y Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn dangos bod y gydberthynas rhwng cyfraddau defnydd gwelyau a'r gallu i gyflawni'r targed pedair awr yn gryf. Yn gryno, gyd-Aelodau'r Cynulliad, mae'n syml: byddai capasiti gwelyau ychwanegol yn golygu gwelliant sylweddol yn amseroedd aros cleifion. Mae'r Coleg Brenhinol Meddygaeth Frys yn credu'n gryf fod angen 226 o welyau arnom. Byddai'r gwelyau ychwanegol hynny'n sicrhau cyfradd defnydd gwelyau ddiogel o 85 y cant. Felly, gellid lliniaru'r pwysau a welwn ar ein hadrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys drwy gael ychydig llai na 250 o welyau ychwanegol.
Bydd y broblem system gyfan rydym yn ei gweld yma yn cael ei gwaethygu gan awydd Llywodraeth Cymru i dorri a chanoli eu darpariaeth o wasanaethau gofal brys. Peidiwch ag ailadrodd y mantra diweddar ei fod yn benderfyniad i’r clinigwyr. Rwy'n credu, Leanne Wood, eich bod chi wedi dadlau eich achos yn glir iawn yn gynharach: mae clinigwyr yn dweud, 'Cadwch ein gwasanaethau brys', a’r byrddau iechyd, Llywodraethau, rhaglen de Cymru, ac adroddiad Marcus Longley sy'n siarad am ddim ond canoli, canoli, canoli.
Rwyf am droi at y gwelliannau yn gyflym gan y gallaf weld bod fy amser yn dod i ben. Rwy'n anobeithio wrth weld bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi 'dileu popeth' unwaith eto i fygu dadl. Rwy'n cydnabod bod Aelodau meinciau cefn Llafur a Phlaid Cymru wedi llofnodi datganiad yn ymwneud ag Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, ond pwynt 2 o welliant y Llywodraeth yw'r addewidion ffuantus arferol y bydd byrddau iechyd yn gofyn i chi am eich barn ac yna'n gwneud yr hyn y maent wedi cynllunio i'w wneud beth bynnag. Daw hyn ar ôl blynyddoedd o ansicrwydd i wasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys yr ysbyty ers cyhoeddi dogfen ymgynghori rhaglen de Cymru yn 2013.
Mae staffio yn yr ysbytai yn cyrraedd lefelau peryglus o isel. Nid yn unig fod pob uned damweiniau ac achosion brys fawr yng Nghwm Taf wedi'i staffio ymhell islaw safonau'r DU gyfan, ond ar Ddydd Nadolig a Gŵyl San Steffan 2019, bu'n rhaid dargyfeirio ambiwlansys o'r ysbyty i Ysbyty'r Tywysog Siarl oherwydd prinder meddygon. Mae'r cynigion gan y bwrdd iechyd wedi wynebu gwrthwynebiad sylweddol gan y cymunedau cyfagos. Mae pryderon yn ymwneud â diogelwch cleifion y bydd yn rhaid iddynt deithio ymhellach yn awr i gael gofal brys yn ogystal â chynyddu'r pwysau ar adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys eraill ar adeg pan na chyrhaeddodd yr ysbytai eraill sy'n gwasanaethu Cwm Taf amser aros cyfartalog Cymru o bedair awr hyd yn oed ym mis Rhagfyr 2019.
Byddaf yn cefnogi gwelliant Plaid Cymru, sy’n tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd cynllunio’r gweithlu ledled y wlad, nid yn unig yn yr ardaloedd hawsaf i’w staffio yn draddodiadol, megis de-ddwyrain Cymru, gan ei bod ond yn deg na ddylid defnyddio prinder staff i gyfiawnhau cau a newid i wasanaethau.
Rwy'n cytuno â gwelliant clir iawn Neil McEvoy hefyd a’r gwelliant gan feinciau cefn Llafur, gan fod yn rhaid i Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru wrthod cynigion gan fwrdd iechyd Cwm Taf Morgannwg i ddod â gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys 24 awr dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol i ben yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. A buaswn yn mynd gam ymhellach a dweud bod yn rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru adolygu adroddiad yr achos dros newid gan Marcus Longley yn 2012 a rhaglen de Cymru, gan nad yw'r ddau ohonynt yn gyfredol mwyach, a’r ddau ohonynt yn nodi cyfeiriad teithio nad yw'n addas i Gymru mwyach, ac a dweud y gwir, ymddengys bod y ddau ohonynt yn hyrwyddo gwasanaethau sydd ymhellach byth oddi wrth y cyhoedd y mae'r byrddau iechyd, y Gweinidog a'r GIG yno i'w gwasanaethu.
Rwy’n hyderus y bydd meinciau cefn Llafur yn cefnogi ein cynnig ac y gallwn, drwy ddangos undod ar draws yr holl bleidiau gwleidyddol, anfon neges glir i’r byrddau iechyd ledled Cymru. Gwrandewch ar y bobl: peidiwch â chau, torri nac israddio ein hadrannau brys. Rwy'n cymeradwyo'r cynnig hwn i'r Siambr.
Rwyf wedi dethol y pedwar gwelliant i'r cynnig, a dwi'n galw ar y Gweinidog iechyd i gynnig yn ffurfiol welliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Rebecca Evans.
I have selected the four amendments to the motion, and I call on the Minister for health to move formally amendment 1, tabled in the name of Rebecca Evans.
Gwelliant 1—Rebecca Evans
Dileu popeth a rhoi yn ei le:
1. Yn cydnabod y datganiad trawsbleidiol ar Ddyfodol Gofal Brys Diogel yng Nghwm Taf Morgannwg.
2. Yn cydnabod yr angen i’r bwrdd iechyd fod yn agored ac yn dryloyw wrth ymgysylltu â’r cyhoedd, clinigwyr, y cyngor iechyd cymuned, cynrychiolwyr etholedig, staff a’u hundebau, i lywio eu penderfyniad ynghylch darparu pob math o ofal heb ei drefnu yn y dyfodol, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau brys.
3. Yn cydnabod bod yn rhaid i unrhyw ddarpariaeth gofal heb ei drefnu fod yn gadarn, yn ddiogel ac yn gynaliadwy.
Amendment 1—Rebecca Evans
Delete all and replace with:
1. Recognises the cross party statement on the Future of Safe Emergency Care in Cwm Taf Morgannwg.
2. Recognises the need for openness and transparency from the health board in their engagement with the public, clinicians, the community health council, elected representatives, staff and their unions to inform their decision on the future provision of all types of unscheduled care, including emergency services.
3. Recognises that any unscheduled care provision must be robust, safe and sustainable.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 1.
Amendment 1 moved.
Formally.
Yn ffurfiol.
Galwaf nawr ar Leanne Wood i gynnig gwelliant 2, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Siân Gwenllian. Leanne Wood.
I now call on Leanne Wood to move amendment 2, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. Leanne Wood.
Gwelliant 2—Siân Gwenllian
Ychwanegu pwynt newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:
Yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i fabwysiadu cynllun cynhwysfawr ar gyfer cynyddu'r gweithlu clinigol, gyda ffocws penodol ar arbenigeddau ac ardaloedd daearyddol y mae'n anodd recriwtio iddynt, megis mewn adrannau achosion brys, fel na ellir byth ddefnyddio prinder staff i gyfiawnhau cau a newid gwasanaethau.
Amendment 2—Siân Gwenllian
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to adopt a comprehensive plan for increasing the clinical workforce, with specific focus on specialities and geographical areas that are hard to recruit to, such as within emergency departments, so that staff shortages can never be used to justify closures and service changes.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 2.
Amendment 2 moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. There have been many references from many Members in this Chamber to the inverse care law, that, essentially, the section of the population most in need of care services often face the most barriers to accessing them. We've also noted on several occasions that people in the poorest areas also face the greatest burden of disease. This is due to a combination of the industrial legacy and the neglect of those people in those communities when they were de-industrialised.
We've also noted that the dismissive attitude of senior management in the NHS when it came to dealing with complaints that led to the maternity services scandal in Cwm Taf, and noted that it probably wouldn't have happened to people in a more wealthy area. But, again, lessons are not learned, as this Labour Government presides over a policy of closing A&E in one of the most deprived areas in Wales. This is despite the University of Sheffield study in 2007 finding that a 10 km increase in distance is associated with around a one per cent absolute increase in mortality, and that relationship is greater for patients with respiratory conditions. And this has been confirmed by at least two other studies for asthma patients.
Now, the board cites staff shortages for this, and it is, of course, trivially true to say that a unit without doctors is going to be dangerous. But we have to ask why. How have we got to this place?
The figures I quoted yesterday to the First Minister demonstrate that in those areas with A&E units that are not under threat, consultant numbers have increased significantly. Those areas where reconfigured proposals were agreed did not. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nobody chooses to work in a place that is under threat, when management rely on agency staff instead of advertising for long-term vacancies. My office has heard from a number of doctors who want full-time posts in the Royal Glamorgan and would take them if they were offered a little bit of flexibility in the hours.
So, what are the immediate short-term actions that need to be taken now? First of all, make a public commitment to the long-term future of the A&E department in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. This alone will help recruitment and retention. Offer the existing agency staff full-time employment, making adjustments to the hours if needed. We know that there are many people who would accept this offer. Actually advertise some posts, using some financial incentives, like Cardiff has recently done, if that's necessary for the difficult-to-recruit positions. And, importantly, make the expectations to management clear—they have been operating with the opposite expectations and a belief that the unit should close ever since the south Wales programme was agreed.
In the longer term, Plaid Cymru has well-considered and costed policies for the training and recruitment of an extra 1,000 doctors, and that includes investment in the targeting of local recruits and the expansion of training places for doctors. These policies can and should be put in place for the benefit of all NHS services in Wales now.
I want to turn briefly to tackling some myths. First of all, the Tories need to reflect upon the fact that this process has happened in England. Jeremy Hunt made it clear that he wanted centralisation and he gave the go-ahead for this to happen back when he was health Secretary. Coincidentally, this was the date the performance in the English NHS started to decline, and that decline continues to this day. So, the Tories don't have a good track record in delivering a different model of service configuration.
Secondly, to those who want to abolish the Assembly, they need to consider what would happen if the NHS senior management had no political oversight at all. Some senior managers have been heard privately saying that they want centralisation to go far further. If they had their way, we could end up with A&E units in just Cardiff, Swansea and maybe one or two others. It's only because Labour know that they can't get away with agreeing to that that prevents this process from getting worse. But that also highlights another unavoidable truth: that the health Minister could stop these proposals right now, but he chooses not to.
I want to finish with this: we in Plaid Cymru will do everything we can to stop them closing or reducing those hours in our A&E department at the Royal Glamorgan, and we intend to win this battle. If we do, a future Plaid Cymru Government pledges to keep our A&E for the long term. But if we don't win, then we will pledge to restore it. Diolch.
Diolch, Lywydd. Mae llawer o Aelodau yn y Siambr hon wedi cyfeirio at y ddeddf gofal gwrthgyfartal, sef, yn y bôn, mai’r rhan o'r boblogaeth sydd fwyaf o angen gwasanaethau gofal sy'n wynebu'r rhwystrau mwyaf rhag cael mynediad atynt. Rydym hefyd wedi nodi ar sawl achlysur mai pobl yn yr ardaloedd tlotaf hefyd sy'n wynebu’r baich mwyaf o afiechyd. Canlyniad yw hyn i gyfuniad o'r etifeddiaeth ddiwydiannol a’r ffaith bod y bobl yn y cymunedau hynny wedi cael eu hesgeuluso pan gawsant eu dad-ddiwydiannu.
Rydym hefyd wedi nodi mai agwedd ddiystyriol uwch reolwyr yn y GIG wrth ymdrin â chwynion a arweiniodd at sgandal y gwasanaethau mamolaeth yng Nghwm Taf, ac wedi nodi na fyddai hynny wedi digwydd yn ôl pob tebyg i bobl mewn ardal fwy cyfoethog. Ond unwaith eto, nid yw'r gwersi’n cael eu dysgu, gan fod y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yn llywyddu dros bolisi o gau adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn un o'r ardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig yng Nghymru. Mae hyn er gwaethaf yr astudiaeth gan Brifysgol Sheffield yn 2007 a ganfu fod cynnydd o 10 km mewn pellter yn gysylltiedig â chynnydd absoliwt o oddeutu un y cant mewn marwolaethau, a bod y berthynas honno'n fwy i gleifion â chyflyrau anadlol. Ac mae hyn wedi'i gadarnhau gan o leiaf ddwy astudiaeth arall o gleifion ag asthma.
Nawr, mae'r bwrdd yn nodi mai prinder staff yw’r rheswm am hyn, ac wrth gwrs, mae’n wir dweud, yn arwynebol, fod uned heb feddygon yn mynd i fod yn beryglus. Ond mae'n rhaid inni ofyn pam. Sut y cyraeddasom y sefyllfa hon?
Mae'r ffigurau a ddyfynnais ddoe i'r Prif Weinidog yn dangos bod nifer y meddygon ymgynghorol wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol yn yr ardaloedd sydd ag unedau damweiniau ac achosion brys nad ydynt dan fygythiad. Ni ddigwyddodd hynny yn yr ardaloedd lle cytunwyd ar gynigion ad-drefnu. Mae'n broffwydoliaeth hunangyflawnol. Nid oes unrhyw un yn dewis gweithio mewn lle sydd dan fygythiad, pan fydd rheolwyr yn dibynnu ar staff asiantaeth yn lle hysbysebu swyddi hirdymor. Clywodd fy swyddfa gan nifer o feddygon sy’n awyddus i gael swyddi amser llawn yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg a byddent yn eu derbyn pe byddent yn cael cynnig rhywfaint o hyblygrwydd o ran oriau.
Felly, beth yw'r camau tymor byr uniongyrchol sy'n rhaid eu cymryd yn awr? Yn gyntaf oll, gwnewch ymrwymiad cyhoeddus i ddyfodol hirdymor yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Hyn yn unig a fydd yn helpu i recriwtio a chadw staff. Cynigiwch waith amser llawn i’r staff asiantaeth presennol, gan addasu eu horiau os oes angen. Gwyddom fod llawer o bobl a fyddai'n derbyn y cynnig hwn. Hysbysebwch rai swyddi, gan ddefnyddio cymhellion ariannol, fel y mae Caerdydd wedi'i wneud yn ddiweddar, os yw hynny'n angenrheidiol ar gyfer y swyddi sy’n anodd eu recriwtio. Ac yn bwysig, gwnewch y disgwyliadau’n glir i’r rheolwyr—maent wedi bod yn gweithredu gyda disgwyliadau i’r gwrthwyneb, a chred y dylai'r uned gau ers i raglen de Cymru gael ei chytuno.
Yn y tymor hwy, mae gan Blaid Cymru bolisïau sydd wedi’u hystyried a’u costio’n drylwyr ar gyfer hyfforddi a recriwtio 1,000 o feddygon ychwanegol, ac mae hynny'n cynnwys buddsoddi mewn targedu recriwtiaid lleol a chynyddu nifer y lleoedd hyfforddi ar gyfer meddygon. Fe ellid ac fe ddylid rhoi’r polisïau hyn ar waith er budd holl wasanaethau'r GIG yng Nghymru nawr.
Hoffwn droi’n gyflym at chwalu rhai mythau. Yn gyntaf oll, mae angen i'r Torïaid ystyried y ffaith bod y broses hon wedi digwydd yn Lloegr. Dywedodd Jeremy Hunt yn glir ei fod yn dymuno canoli, a rhoddodd sêl bendith i hyn ddigwydd yn ôl pan oedd yn Ysgrifennydd iechyd. Drwy gyd-ddigwyddiad, hwn oedd y dyddiad y dechreuodd perfformiad GIG Lloegr ddirywio, ac mae'r dirywiad hwnnw'n parhau hyd heddiw. Felly, nid oes gan y Torïaid hanes da o ddarparu model gwahanol o drefnu’r gwasanaeth.
Yn ail, i'r rheini sydd am ddiddymu'r Cynulliad, mae angen iddynt ystyried beth fyddai'n digwydd pe na bai gan uwch reolwyr y GIG unrhyw oruchwyliaeth wleidyddol o gwbl. Mae rhai uwch reolwyr wedi cael eu clywed yn dweud yn breifat eu bod am i ganoli fynd yn llawer pellach. Pe byddent yn cael eu ffordd, gallem fod ag unedau damweiniau ac achosion brys yng Nghaerdydd ac Abertawe yn unig yn y pen draw, ac efallai un neu ddau arall. Dim ond y ffaith bod Llafur yn gwybod na fyddent yn cael rhwydd hynt i gytuno i hynny sy'n atal y broses hon rhag gwaethygu. Ond mae hynny hefyd yn amlygu gwirionedd arall na ellir ei osgoi: y gallai'r Gweinidog iechyd atal y cynigion hyn yr eiliad hon, ond mae'n dewis peidio.
Rwyf am gloi gyda hyn: byddwn ni ym Mhlaid Cymru yn gwneud popeth a allwn i'w hatal rhag cau neu leihau'r oriau yn ein hadran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, ac rydym yn bwriadu ennill y frwydr hon. Os gwnawn, mae Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn y dyfodol yn addo cadw ein hadrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys yn hirdymor. Ond os na wnawn ennill, byddwn yn addo eu hadfer. Diolch.
Galwaf ar Neil McEvoy i gynnig gwelliant 3 a gyflwynwyd yn ei enw.
I call on Neil McEvoy to move amendment 3 tabled in his name.
Gwelliant 3—Neil McEvoy
Ychwanegu pwynt newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:
Yn cefnogi adran damweiniau ac achosion brys barhaol gydag adnoddau llawn yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg.
Amendment 3—Neil McEvoy
Add as new point at end of motion:
Supports a permanent and fully resourced accident and emergency department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 3.
Amendment 3 moved.
Diolch, Llywydd. Fel arweinydd Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru, dwi'n dweud bod yn rhai inni achub adran achosion brys Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg.
Thank you, Llywydd. As leader of the Welsh National Party, I say that we have to save the A&E department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
I'm stood here as leader of the Welsh National Party, saying that we need to save the accident and emergency department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. The public message to us is very, very clear. I attended a public meeting, I listened intently outside. They want us to work together.
I support the motion. I cannot support amendment 1, because amendment 1 essentially wrecks the motion. I support amendment 2. I support amendment 4. My amendment is very, very simple—the message is simple. It says that this Assembly—us here, every Assembly Member—supports a permanent—and that is the key word here; it's not in any other amendment or any other motion—a permanent and fully resourced accident and emergency department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. We can all support that, and we can all support each other's amendments so we can listen to the public today and actually hear what they told us outside, and support the motion and support each other's amendments, with the exception of amendment 1.
The health of the NHS in Wales is in crisis. Staff deserve better. The public deserves better. We heard outside, Minister—and I hope you listen—that the doctors at the Royal Glamorgan, as my colleague across the way said, want the department to remain open, consultant-led, 24 hours a day. My daughter was born at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, and they did a tremendous job back in those days. My dad is being looked after at this moment by brilliant NHS staff at the Heath, but I was in A&E on Friday, and I was appalled at what I saw. Staff told me that it was a quiet night, and on other nights, the night before, people were sat on the floor. We have declared, or the Government has declared, a climate emergency. I feel we need to declare a health emergency. Let's vote for these different amendments, let's listen to the public, let's listen to the doctors and let's give the message out that this Assembly wants to save the accident and emergency department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital on a permanent—the key word—permanent basis. Diolch yn fawr.
Rwy'n sefyll yma fel arweinydd Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru, gan ddweud bod angen i ni achub yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Mae neges y cyhoedd i ni yn glir iawn. Mynychais gyfarfod cyhoeddus, gwrandewais yn ofalus y tu allan. Maent yn awyddus i ni weithio gyda'n gilydd.
Rwy’n cefnogi’r cynnig. Ni allaf gefnogi gwelliant 1, oherwydd yn y bôn mae gwelliant 1 yn dinistrio’r cynnig. Rwy'n cefnogi gwelliant 2. Rwy'n cefnogi gwelliant 4. Mae fy ngwelliant i'n syml iawn—mae’r neges yn syml. Dywed fod y Cynulliad hwn—ni yma, pob Aelod Cynulliad—yn cefnogi adran damweiniau ac achosion brys barhaol—a dyna'r gair allweddol yma; nid oes unrhyw welliant arall nac unrhyw gynnig arall yn ei gynnwys—adran damweiniau ac achosion brys barhaol sydd ag adnoddau llawn yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg. Gall pob un ohonom gefnogi hynny, a gall pob un ohonom gefnogi gwelliannau ein gilydd fel y gallwn wrando ar y cyhoedd heddiw a chlywed yr hyn a ddywedasant wrthym y tu allan, a chefnogi'r cynnig a chefnogi gwelliannau ein gilydd, ac eithrio gwelliant 1.
Mae iechyd y GIG yng Nghymru mewn argyfwng. Mae'r staff yn haeddu gwell. Mae'r cyhoedd yn haeddu gwell. Clywsom y tu allan, Weinidog—a gobeithio eich bod yn gwrando—fod y meddygon yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, fel y dywedodd fy nghyd-Aelod gyferbyn â mi, am i'r adran aros ar agor, dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol, 24 awr y dydd. Ganed fy merch yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, ac roeddent yn gwneud gwaith aruthrol yn ôl yn y dyddiau hynny. Mae staff gwych y GIG yn ysbyty’r Mynydd Bychan yn gofalu am fy nhad ar hyn o bryd, ond roeddwn yn yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys nos Wener, a chefais fy mrawychu gan yr hyn a welais. Dywedodd staff wrthyf ei bod yn noson dawel, ac ar nosweithiau eraill, y noson gynt, roedd pobl yn eistedd ar y llawr. Rydym wedi datgan, neu mae'r Llywodraeth wedi datgan, argyfwng hinsawdd. Rwy'n teimlo bod angen inni ddatgan argyfwng iechyd. Gadewch inni bleidleisio dros y gwahanol welliannau hyn, gadewch inni wrando ar y cyhoedd, gadewch inni wrando ar y meddygon a gadewch inni gyfleu’r neges fod y Cynulliad hwn am achub yr adran damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg ar sail barhaol—y gair allweddol—yn barhaol. Diolch yn fawr.
Galwaf ar Mick Antoniw i gynnig gwelliant 4, a gyflwynwyd yn ei enw ef.
I call on Mick Antoniw to move amendment 4, tabled in his name.
Gwelliant 4—Mick Antoniw, Dawn Bowden, Huw Irranca-Davies, Vikki Howells
Ychwanegu pwynt newydd ar ddiwedd y cynnig:
Yn gwrthod cynigion gan Fwrdd Iechyd Cwm Taf Morgannwg i ddod â gwasanaethau damweiniau ac achosion brys 24 awr o dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg i ben ac yn galw ar y Bwrdd Iechyd i:
a) diystyru cau'r gwasanaeth damweiniau ac achosion brys yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg neu sefydlu uned mân anafiadau 24 awr yn lle'r gwasanaeth damweiniau ac achosion brys presennol;
b) adfer yr opsiwn o gynnal gwasanaeth damweiniau ac achosion brys llawn o dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg, Ysbyty'r Tywysog Siarl ac Ysbyty Tywysoges Cymru;
c) cyflwyno cynigion eraill ar gyfer gwasanaethau iechyd cymunedol, gan gynnwys gwelliannau i'r gwasanaeth meddygon teulu y tu allan i oriau ac ymestyn oriau agor yr uned mân anafiadau yn Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda ac Ysbyty Cwm Cynon, a allai leddfu'r pwysau ar bob un o'r tair adran damweiniau ac achosion brys.
Amendment 4—Mick Antoniw, Dawn Bowden, Huw Irranca-Davies, Vikki Howells
Add as new point at end of motion:
Rejects proposals by Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board to end 24-hour consultant-led accident and emergency services at the Royal Glamorgan hospital and calls on the Health Board to:
a) rule out the closure of the accident and emergency service at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital or the replacing of the existing accident and emergency service with a 24 hour minor injuries unit;
b) reinstate the option of maintaining a full consultant-led accident and emergency service at the Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles and Princess of Wales hospitals;
c) bring forward other proposals for community health services, including improvements in the out-of-hours GP service and extending the opening hours of the minor injuries unit at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda and Ysbyty Cwm Cynon, which may alleviate the pressure on all three accident and emergency departments.
Cynigiwyd gwelliant 4.
Amendment 4 moved.