P 67

Ymchwiliad i’r Adolygiad Blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Iechyd, Gofal Cymdeithasol a Chwaraeon

Inquiry into the Priorities for the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Ymateb gan: Bwrdd Cynghori Coleg Brenhinol yr Anesthetyddion yng Nghymru

Response from: Royal College of Anaesthetists Advisory Board

Response from the Royal College of Anaesthetist’s(RCoA) Advisory Board in Wales / National Specialist Advisory Committee (NSAG) to the Consultation on the Priorities for the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the National Assembly for Wales

1. A request for responses was sent to all the committee members of the Anaesthetic NSAG / RCoA’s Advisory Board in Wales to disseminate in their departments /groups and to report back to the vice-chair by 21 August 2016.

2. It is disappointing that this consultation had to take place over the summer holidays in order to meet the deadline of 2 September 2016. As a consequence we have received a small amount of responses.

3. Responses can be divided into: Maternity services & The South Wales Plan, Funding & Privatisation, Recruitment&Retention of qualified staff and The Health of our Patient Population.

4. A significant amount of resource had gone into the South Wales Programme (SWP)during the fourth assembly, with very little to show for it. The uncertainty created by the SWP is still detrimental to many. The delays caused by this process have got the potential to put our patient’s health and wellbeing at risk. Without clear guidance and financial support it is impossible for health boards to prepare and be ready to provide patients with the care they may need.

5. Similarly in North Wales there has been a catalogue of reviews of a variety of services from which no discernible change has ever occurred. The fear & political risks associated with any major change just appears to overwhelm & the cry for world class services on everybody’s doorstep becomes too loud. The situation with 3 DGH`s across North Wales is almost certainly 1 that would not be considered if commencing from a “blank canvas” position. Therefore a long term view is required to ultimately achieve a sustainable position.

6. An area of particular concern for the Obstetric Anaesthetist in Cardiff is the increase in their patient population, excluding the reconfiguration and problems of the SWP. They are frequently in the situation where there are not enough beds to accommodate women in labour. There also still remains a significant burden on our Obstetric and Neonatal colleagues due to the lack of neonatal cots.

7. Following the vote to leave the European Union there is a fear that cuts are going to be made to Heath care and reassurance is sought that at the very least there will be no real term decrease in per capita spending. With this in mind concerns have also been raised about privatisation of the NHS.

8. With regards to sustainability of the NHS the suggestion was made that a system approach may need to be adopted to achieve higher levels of efficiency and reliability. This includes the much wider use of protocols, guidelines, algorithms and computer programmes. The suggestion is that these can be delivered by staff with less training and therefore be more effective.

9. We appreciate that the main focus at present is on recruiting in primary care. Our problem in secondary and tertiary care does not only include medical personnel. We have problems recruiting nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners (ODP’s). It is therefore felt that there should be more focus on incentives to recruit and retain all forms of staff in Wales.

10. There is a feeling that with limited resource more focus should be placed on patient’s life style related issues and healthy living. All patients should be encouraged to drink within moderation, eat healthy and not to smoke; it is felt to be unfair to impose blanket punitive measures and that it would be better to target individual access to heath care provision. Simplified labelling of food content will enable more people to understand what they are eating and may encourage healthier eating.

Dr A.D. Theron

Vice Chair Royal College of Anaesthetists Advisory Board in Wales/ NSAG

August 2016