'Called for a review into the benefits and challenges of re-categorising strokes as Ambulance “red calls'

MS for North Wales

Having previously called on the Welsh Government to establish a 'coherent and integrated Welsh benefits system’ for all the benefits it is responsible for, and asked the First Minister how he responded ‘to the calls by the Bevan Foundation, Citizens Advice Cymru and Community Housing Cymru for the Welsh Government to establish a single point of access for benefits and support schemes administered in Wales’, I spoke in support in the Debate proposing a ‘Take-up of Benefits Bill’, to increase take up of Welsh and local authority support payments and to ‘require public bodies to streamline and make consistent throughout Wales the method of application for such benefits’.

Ahead of World Stroke Day (October 29th), I led the Welsh Conservative debate on Stroke Services, in which we called for a review into the benefits and challenges of re-categorising strokes as Ambulance “red calls: immediately life-threatening” under the Clinical Response Model. They are currently classed as ‘amber’ in Wales, which have no target time.

I said: “The latest SSNAP data shows that it takes on average 6hrs 35mins between stroke onset and arrival at hospital in Wales, compared to 3 hours 41 minutes in England and 2 hours 41 minutes in Northern Ireland’. Labour and Plaid voted against our motion as drafted.

Responding in the Senedd to the ‘Update on Ukraine’ Statement by the Minister for Social Justice, I noted that when I responded to her ‘Update on Ukraine’ Statement 4 weeks previously I referred to the humanitarian efforts to help Ukrainian refugees by the Polish Integration Support Centre in Wrexham and asked what engagement the Welsh Government has subsequently had with them regarding their proposal for consolidated and sustainable support.

I sponsored and spoke at the ‘Celebration of Guide Dogs Cymru’ event in the Senedd; Chaired meetings of the Senedd Cross-Party Autism Group, held in Wrexham’s Well-being Hub, when I was re-elected as Chair, and of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Hospices and Palliative Care; attended the joint scrutiny session of Digital Health and Care Wales, involving both the Senedd Health and Social Care Committee and the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which I Chair; and joined the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Cancer meeting, which included its AGM and the Launch of its ‘Inquiry into inequalities and cancer in Wales’.

Senedd engagements included the Stroke Association; the Post Office; the 10th anniversary of Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales; and Wales Safer Communities Network Launch.

For my help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219