, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Can I thank you for that answer? We know that smoking has reduced, and is continuing to reduce, and many of us are waiting for it to reach zero. Unfortunately, obesity is moving in the opposite direction, and that is causing a large number of people to suffer…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
10. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to prevent heart disease? OQ58332
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
My mother had a brain tumour, which she sadly died from. The GP was treating her for a long period of time, in its early stages, for thyroid problems—having tests done on the thyroid. By the time she went into hospital, it was stage 4. It was only when it…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2022-23
The first supplementary budget has usually been a minor event, making slight changes, which this one does. But the supplementary budget comes at a time of high inflation, which is currently at 9.1 per cent—the highest for 40 years—and maybe higher now than…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: A Fairer Council Tax
I thank the Minister for her statement. We know we need more regular revaluations. Every 20 years is not acceptable. We know two other things: a local income tax is preferred by the rich because it will save them money via tax reduction schemes. But we also…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
I want to ask for a Government statement on the census, the first part being about the population changes in Wales. Population change is a good proxy for relative affluence, as the more successful areas have a higher population growth rate, while the poorer…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 9—think tanks and academics
I'm only a substitution, I'm not supposed to express views, but I do actually agree with that. But there are lots of things where I would that say non-fair work is taking place: people working in the caring profession who aren't paid for travel, for example…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 9—think tanks and academics
Thank you. One of the things that I've got concerns about, and I have to appraise this in the question to you, is that we talk about fair work, but sometimes we talk about the wage rates, for example, and paying the real living wage, and then hours are…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 9—think tanks and academics
Okay. I've heard your answer. I think the words 'fair work' are one of those difficult ones. We all have a different definition of fair work, don't we? I've written and spoken regularly about ending exploitative contracts. The Bill has replaced decent work…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill: evidence session 9—think tanks and academics
I'll make sure I'm—. The host has unmuted me, thank you. I believe I'm asking questions on fair work.
, Plenary
Short Debate: Knowledge is power: Education as a route out of poverty
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, for your generosity. I would also like to thank John Griffiths for giving me a minute in this debate. There are traditionally two legal routes out of poverty. One is via sporting prowess and the other is via education, but…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting
Can I say, Chair, I've enjoyed my 12 months on the committee? Due to continual clashes I'm going to have to come off it, and Sarah Murphy will be replacing me, but I'm sure that she will do an excellent job. I have enjoyed my time here and thank you, Chair…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
Thank you very much. There's also walking football. Thank you.
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
My final question is, and it's going back to older people, on the role of loneliness and isolation in the effect on mental health. I've spoken in the previous discussion about the importance of Men's Sheds, for example, but actually having an opportunity for…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
Thank you. We talked earlier about people with neurodivergent conditions, and you mentioned it earlier. Is there a danger—and I think you're going to say 'yes', but I have to ask it—that, if somebody's got a neurodivergent condition, that that's all a health…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
Thank you. I live in Swansea, and I know the difficulty people have not just getting hearing aids but getting hearing aid batteries. The places that used to provide them no longer provide them, and they have to go to either a hospital or one central clinic…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
Thank you. I was going to say that I'm president of the Swansea Hard of Hearing Group, and this is mainly a group of older people who've started to lose their hearing and have lost their hearing over a period of time, and that brings intense loneliness, from…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
No, go ahead; I thought you'd finished. Carry on.
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
Thank you. I want to talk abut the deaf community. I'll start off by saying that my sister is profoundly deaf and I hear all sorts of things about how (1) there is no specialist deaf mental health service in Wales, and every time I talk to people they tell me…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
I'm glad you mentioned alcohol, because there are groups of older people who use alcohol and going out as a substitute for social interaction in a more normal sense. I think that perhaps—. Well, I'm not supposed to think, I'm supposed to ask you: would you…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the secondary care sector
I want to talk about barriers for other groups. Older people, you stated, are much less likely to be referred for mental health support than the younger population, even though we know that older people are more likely to have things like dementia. What's the…
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the primary care sector
And Men's Sheds.
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the primary care sector
Yes, that'll do. Thanks.
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the primary care sector
Sorry, Lisa, I've stopped you twice now.
, Health and Social Care Committee
Mental health inequalities: evidence session with the primary care sector
Thank you very much. I'll just finish with this. I think that the way you deal with your services would appear to be an exemplar for other GP services across, certainly, Swansea, and I would imagine through the rest of Wales. Is there any way that you can use…
