Y Cyfarfod Llawn - Y Bumed Senedd
Plenary - Fifth Senedd
19/09/2018Cynnwys
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 Members to order.
Yr eitem gyntaf ar ein hagenda ni y prynhawn yma yw'r cwestiynau i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Vikki Howells.
The first item on our agenda this afternoon is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, and the first question is from Vikki Howells.
1. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru i gyhoeddi canllawiau statudol newydd ar gyfer gwisgoedd ysgol? OAQ52592
1. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on Welsh Government plans to publish new statutory guidance for school uniforms? OAQ52592
The Welsh Government will undertake a 12-week public consultation this autumn on school uniform and appearance policies. New updated and strengthened statutory guidance will come into force from September 2019.
Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnal ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus 12 wythnos o hyd yr hydref hwn ar bolisïau gwisg ysgol ac edrychiad disgyblion. Bydd canllawiau statudol newydd wedi'u diweddaru a'u cryfhau ar waith o fis Medi 2019.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I note the comments in your recent statement about encouraging the parents and carers of eligible children to apply for pupil deprivation grant access funding for school uniform in particular. But I'm concerned that lots of those eligible for this are missing out. From my own personal experience locally, the way in which this information is communicated to parents is patchy and its effectiveness is variable. So, how is the Welsh Government encouraging councils and schools to promote this fund to students, particularly prior to the start of a new academic year?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. A nodaf y sylwadau yn eich datganiad diweddar ynglŷn ag annog rhieni a gofalwyr plant cymwys i wneud cais am gyllid mynediad y grant amddifadedd disgyblion ar gyfer gwisg ysgol yn arbennig. Ond rwy’n pryderu bod llawer o'r rheini sy'n gymwys ar ei gyfer yn colli allan. O fy mhrofiad personol fy hun yn lleol, mae'r ffordd y mae'r wybodaeth hon yn cael ei chyfleu i rieni yn anghyson ac mae ei heffeithiolrwydd yn amrywio. Felly, sut y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn annog cynghorau ac ysgolion i hyrwyddo'r gronfa hon i fyfyrwyr, yn enwedig cyn dechrau blwyddyn academaidd newydd?
Thank you, Vikki. As you'll be aware, for the first time ever this autumn term, assistance with the cost of school uniform is available not just for children entering into high school at year 7, but also for our youngest pupils beginning their school journey. The grant is also available to cover other costs associated with school, not just school uniform, such as PE kit and other school-day essentials. I will continue to work with local authorities to ensure that parents have the right information so that they can make a positive application to receive this funding, because we want all children who are eligible to have this assistance.
Diolch, Vikki. Fel y gwyddoch, am y tro cyntaf erioed y tymor hwn, mae cymorth gyda chost gwisg ysgol ar gael nid yn unig i blant sy'n dechrau yn yr ysgol uwchradd ym mlwyddyn 7, ond hefyd ar gyfer ein disgyblion ieuengaf sy'n dechrau ar eu taith ysgol. Mae'r grant hefyd ar gael i dalu am gostau eraill sy'n gysylltiedig ag ysgol, nid gwisg ysgol yn unig, megis dillad addysg gorfforol, a phethau eraill hanfodol ar gyfer y diwrnod ysgol. Byddaf yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i sicrhau bod rhieni'n cael y wybodaeth gywir, fel y gallant wneud cais cadarnhaol i dderbyn yr arian hwn, gan fod arnom eisiau i bob plentyn sy'n gymwys gael y cymorth hwn.
Following on from that, Cabinet Secretary, of course you will be aware of various stories at the beginning of school term of children being punished for not having the correct school uniform. I absolutely buy into the notion that we want all the children to look the same, and it's very important for school discipline and school morale, and so on. But one of the concerns I have is this view that we should punish the child for something that the parent has done. And I'm deeply concerned that—. It runs across not just school uniforms—I know Caroline Jones raised the issue not long ago with you about the child who couldn't go to the prom because she had Asperger's and couldn't get the grades. I've raised with you in the past the child who was punished because they had a chronic ill-health issue so they couldn't attend all the time, but the punishment was meted on the child, rather than the schools looking at the individuals concerned. Will you have another look at this, because of this school uniform issue, and about how we might proportionally represent, or proportionally treat children, and divide between those who don't do things they should do because they just don't feel like it and those who are put in an awkward position because of decisions made by parents and carers, because I think we're giving out the wrong message to these young people about responsibility?
Yn dilyn hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, wrth gwrs, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol o wahanol storïau ar ddechrau’r tymor ysgol am blant yn cael eu cosbi am nad ydynt yn gwisgo’r wisg ysgol gywir. Rwy’n credu'n gryf yn y syniad ein bod yn awyddus i’r holl blant edrych yr un fath, ac mae'n bwysig iawn ar gyfer disgyblaeth ysgol a morâl ysgol, ac ati. Ond un o'r pryderon sydd gennyf yw'r syniad hwn y dylem gosbi'r plentyn am rywbeth y mae'r rhiant wedi'i wneud. Ac rwy'n bryderus iawn fod—. Mae'n ymwneud nid yn unig â gwisgoedd ysgol—gwn fod Caroline Jones wedi dwyn mater i'ch sylw yn ddiweddar ynglŷn â phlentyn na allai fynd i'r prom am fod ganddi syndrom Asperger ac ni allai gael y graddau. Rwyf wedi tynnu eich sylw yn y gorffennol at y plentyn a gafodd eu cosbi am fod ganddynt afiechyd cronig felly ni allent fod yn bresennol drwy'r amser, ond cosbwyd y plentyn, yn hytrach na bod yr ysgol yn edrych ar yr unigolion dan sylw. A wnewch chi edrych ar hyn eto, oherwydd mater gwisgoedd ysgol, a sut y gallwn gynrychioli plant yn gymesur, neu drin plant yn gymesur, a gwahaniaethu rhwng y rhai nad ydynt yn gwneud pethau y dylent eu gwneud am nad ydynt yn teimlo fel gwneud hynny, a'r rhai sydd mewn sefyllfa letchwith o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau a wnaed gan rieni a gofalwyr, gan y credaf ein bod yn rhoi'r neges anghywir i'r bobl ifanc hynny ynglŷn â chyfrifoldeb?
Angela, school uniform policy is ultimately a matter for individual schools and their governing bodies, and it is for headteachers to decide what action to take when pupils infringe a school uniform policy. However, Welsh Government expects that, if the reason for that infringement is because families are in financial difficulties, schools should allow an appropriate amount of time for the required item to be purchased, for there to be some flexibility in the system, and not to be able to penalise that child. The guidance also highlights what financial assistance is available to families to assist in the purchase of school uniforms. A crucial part of any successful school is ongoing dialogue between headteachers, teaching staff, and their parents. But, ultimately, it is a matter for the governance of that school to decide what punishment, if any, is appropriate if there are infringements of that school's rules.
Angela, yn y pen draw, mae polisi gwisg ysgol yn fater i ysgolion unigol a'u cyrff llywodraethu, a chyfrifoldeb penaethiaid yw penderfynu pa gamau i'w cymryd pan fo disgyblion yn mynd yn groes i bolisi gwisg ysgol. Fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn disgwyl, os mai’r rheswm dros fynd yn groes i’r polisi yw am fod teuluoedd mewn anawsterau ariannol, y dylai ysgolion ganiatáu cyfnod priodol o amser i brynu'r eitem angenrheidiol, a sicrhau rhywfaint o hyblygrwydd yn y system, heb allu cosbi’r plentyn hwnnw. Mae'r canllawiau hefyd yn amlygu pa gymorth ariannol sydd ar gael i deuluoedd, er mwyn eu cynorthwyo i brynu gwisgoedd ysgol. Mae deialog barhaus rhwng penaethiaid, staff addysgu, a'u rhieni yn rhan hanfodol o unrhyw ysgol lwyddiannus. Ond yn y pen draw, mater i gorff llywodraethu'r ysgol honno yw penderfynu pa gosb, os o gwbl, sy'n briodol os yw rheolau'r ysgol honno yn cael eu torri.
I welcome the u-turn performed by the Welsh Government earlier this year on its plans to scrap the school uniform grant, because when household budgets remain squeezed, particularly in my constituency of the Rhondda, going ahead with that would have been unthinkable. Now, around the time that these ill-advised plans were announced, I surveyed local schools in my constituency to see what their school uniform policy was, and I found that policy varied from school to school, with some insisting on the purchase of expensive items, with logos, and others being much more flexible. Like the Bevan Foundation, I'd like to see statutory guidance include a requirement for all schools to adopt a uniform that can be more generic and therefore lower cost. With this in mind, will you pay careful attention to the high annual cost of school uniform for families, and seek to provide an alternative solution for all when you issue your statutory guidance?
Rwy'n croesawu'r tro pedol a wnaed gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn gynharach eleni ar ei chynlluniau i gael gwared ar y grant gwisg ysgol, oherwydd pan fo cyllidebau aelwydydd yn parhau i fod dan bwysau, yn enwedig yn fy etholaeth i yn y Rhondda, byddai wedi bod yn amhosibl meddwl am fwrw ymlaen â hynny. Nawr, oddeutu’r adeg y cyhoeddwyd y cynlluniau annoeth hyn, bûm yn edrych ar ysgolion lleol yn fy etholaeth i weld beth oedd eu polisi gwisg ysgol, a gwelais fod polisi’n amrywio o un ysgol i'r llall, gyda rhai'n mynnu bod yn rhaid prynu eitemau drud, gyda logos, ac eraill yn llawer mwy hyblyg. Fel Sefydliad Bevan, hoffwn weld canllawiau statudol yn cynnwys gofyniad i bob ysgol fabwysiadu gwisg ysgol a all fod yn fwy generig, ac felly'n costio llai. Gyda hyn mewn golwg, a wnewch chi roi sylw gofalus i gost flynyddol uchel gwisgoedd ysgol i deuluoedd, a cheisio darparu ateb gwahanol i bawb pan fyddwch yn cyhoeddi eich canllawiau statudol?
Well, as I said in answer to Vikki Howells's initial question, the Government will go out to public consultation for 12 weeks this autumn on a new school uniform and appearance policy. The strengthened statutory guidance, I hope, will come into force for the start of the new academic year, and crucially, as part of that consultation, we will look to address issues of affordability and of giving flexibility to parents. So, for instance, when deciding on a school uniform for a high school, could there be some consideration as to the nature of the colour of some of the primary schools in that area? It doesn't seem necessary that you should have to discard a perfectly good pair of trousers or a school skirt when you transfer to the high school just because you're moving to a different school. So, there are lots of ways in which we can address issues of affordability and that is the purpose of the consultation and my determination to introduce statutory guidance in this area.
Wel, fel y dywedais wrth ateb cwestiwn cyntaf Vikki Howells, bydd y Llywodraeth yn cynnal ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus am 12 wythnos yr hydref hwn ar bolisi newydd ar gyfer gwisg ysgol ac edrychiad disgyblion. Gobeithio y bydd y canllawiau statudol cryfach yn dod i rym ar gyfer dechrau'r flwyddyn academaidd newydd, ac yn hollbwysig, fel rhan o'r ymgynghoriad hwnnw, byddwn yn ceisio mynd i'r afael â materion fforddiadwyedd a rhoi hyblygrwydd i rieni. Felly, er enghraifft, wrth benderfynu ar wisg ysgol ar gyfer ysgol uwchradd, a fyddai modd ystyried natur lliw rhai o'r ysgolion cynradd yn yr ardal honno? Nid ymddengys bod angen cael gwared ar drowsus da neu sgert ysgol pan fyddwch yn mynd i'r ysgol uwchradd am eich bod yn symud i ysgol wahanol. Felly, mae llawer o ffyrdd y gallwn fynd i'r afael â phroblemau fforddiadwyedd a dyna yw diben yr ymgynghoriad a pham rwy'n benderfynol o gyflwyno canllawiau statudol ar hyn.
Cabinet Secretary, I was really pleased to see the announcement that you're going to be consulting on statutory guidance, because, as you know, the existing policy document is actually very good and places a lot of emphasis on generic uniform. But most schools, I would contend, are not actually following that guidance as they should be, and I'm sure you'll have seen the coverage earlier this month of children being kept in a hall for not being in branded trousers, which is totally unacceptable. So, what assurances can you offer that you are going to take a very robust approach to this? But very importantly, how will you ensure that the voices of children and young people are heard through this consultation?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, roeddwn yn falch iawn o weld y cyhoeddiad y byddwch yn ymgynghori ar ganllawiau statudol, oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch, mae’r ddogfen bolisi bresennol yn dda iawn, mewn gwirionedd, ac yn rhoi llawer o bwyslais ar wisg ysgol enerig. Ond buaswn yn dadlau nad yw'r rhan fwyaf o ysgolion yn dilyn y canllawiau hynny fel y dylent, ac rwy'n siŵr eich bod wedi gweld yr adroddiadau yn gynharach y mis hwn am blant yn cael eu cadw mewn neuadd am nad oeddent yn gwisgo trowsus â brand, sy'n gwbl annerbyniol. Felly, pa sicrwydd y gallwch ei roi y byddwch yn mynd i’r afael â hyn yn gadarn iawn? Ond yn bwysig iawn, sut y byddwch yn sicrhau bod lleisiau plant a phobl ifanc yn cael eu clywed drwy'r ymgynghoriad hwn?
Well, Lynne, as you've rightly identified, there is existing guidance. That was published in September 2013, but it is not of a statutory nature. The reason why I'm determined to address that issue is so that we can put on a legislative footing our expectations of governing bodies who will have to have due regard to the guidance when developing their own policies. This also gives us the opportunity not just to look at the issue of affordability in school uniform but at some of the issues that were perhaps not discussed in 2013, such as gender-neutral uniforms. This now gives us an opportunity to discuss those issues, and, clearly, the views of the children and young people will be crucial during the public consultation, and we will be ensuring that there are opportunities for young people to feed in so that they can tell us how they feel about the issue of school uniform and the role it plays in their school lives.
Wel, Lynne, fel y nodwyd yn gywir gennych, mae yna ganllawiau ar gael yn barod. Fe’u cyhoeddwyd ym mis Medi 2013, ond nid ydynt o natur statudol. Y rheswm pam rwy'n benderfynol o fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn yw er mwyn inni allu rhoi sylfaen ddeddfwriaethol i'r hyn a ddisgwyliwn gan gyrff llywodraethu a fydd yn gorfod rhoi sylw dyledus i'r canllawiau wrth ddatblygu eu polisïau eu hunain. Mae hyn hefyd yn rhoi cyfle inni nid yn unig i edrych ar fater fforddiadwyedd mewn perthynas â gwisgoedd ysgol ond ar rai o'r materion na chawsant eu trafod yn 2013, fel gwisgoedd niwtral o ran rhywedd. Mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle inni drafod y materion hynny yn awr, ac yn amlwg, bydd barn plant a phobl ifanc yn allweddol yn ystod yr ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus, a byddwn yn sicrhau bod cyfleoedd i bobl ifanc gymryd rhan fel y gallant ddweud wrthym sut y maent yn teimlo am fater gwisg ysgol a'r rôl y mae'n ei chwarae yn eu bywydau ysgol.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 2 [OAQ52569] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 3, felly, Andrew R.T. Davies.
Question 2 [OAQ52569] has been withdrawn. Question 3, therefore, Andrew R.T. Davies.
3. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu'r cyngor am gau ysgolion gwledig y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei ddarparu i awdurdodau lleol ar hyn o bryd? OAQ52595
3. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the advice the Welsh Government currently provides to local authorities in relation to rural school closures? OAQ52595
5. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei wneud i ddiogelu ysgolion gwledig? OAQ52599
5. What is the Welsh Government doing to protect rural schools? OAQ52599
Thank you, Andrew. Presiding Officer, I understand that you have given your permission for question 3 and question 5 to be grouped.
The school organisation code, made under the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, imposes requirements on Welsh Ministers, local authorities and governing bodies in respect of school organisation and provides guidance to which they must have regard when considering the closure of any school, including those in a rural setting.
Diolch, Andrew. Lywydd, deallaf eich bod wedi caniatáu i gwestiwn 3 a chwestiwn 5 gael eu grwpio.
Mae'r cod trefniadaeth ysgolion, a wnaed o dan Ddeddf Safonau a Threfniadaeth Ysgolion (Cymru) 2013, yn gosod gofynion ar Weinidogion Cymru, awdurdodau lleol a chyrff llywodraethu mewn perthynas â threfniadaeth ysgolion ac yn darparu canllawiau y mae'n rhaid iddynt eu dilyn wrth ystyried cau unrhyw ysgol, gan gynnwys y rheini sydd mewn lleoliadau gwledig.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that answer. Just before the summer recess, you issued new guidance in relation to rural schools—something that was welcomed. Obviously, that guidance will come into effect later on in the year. I'd be grateful to understand what weight local authorities should place on that specific guidance that you've put out there, at the moment. As I understand, it hasn't been incorporated into the code, but many authorities—and I think of one in the Vale of Glamorgan—are deciding on school closures as we speak, and it is important that there isn't a rush to shut many vulnerable schools before this new guidance comes into the code. So, could you indicate what weight you, as the Cabinet Secretary, place on the note that you put out just before the summer recess, please?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ychydig cyn toriad yr haf, cyhoeddasoch ganllawiau newydd mewn perthynas ag ysgolion gwledig—rhywbeth a gafodd groeso. Yn amlwg, daw'r canllawiau hynny i rym yn ddiweddarach eleni. Hoffwn ddeall pa bwys y dylai awdurdodau lleol ei roi ar hyn o bryd ar y canllawiau penodol a gyhoeddwyd gennych. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, nid ydynt wedi'u hymgorffori yn y cod, ond mae llawer o awdurdodau—ac rwy'n meddwl am un ym Mro Morgannwg—yn penderfynu ar gau ysgolion ar hyn o bryd, ac mae'n bwysig nad oes brys i gau nifer o ysgolion sydd mewn perygl cyn i'r canllawiau newydd hyn ddod yn rhan o'r cod. Felly, a allech nodi pa bwys rydych chi fel Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet yn ei roi ar y nodyn a ddosbarthwyd gennych cyn toriad yr haf, os gwelwch yn dda?
Well, Andrew, as you've recognised, we are revising the code. The draft code that has been revised to reflect the consultation responses—the consultation that took place last year—was laid before the Assembly on Monday of this week. As is required by the 2013 Act, the code has to be laid for 40 days, following which it may come into force unless the Assembly resolves not to approve it. Therefore, I would expect the new code to come into force on 1 November, colleagues around this Chamber willing. We have been very clear to local authorities about the direction of policy travel in this area and I would expect them to be cognisant of that when they're making any decisions about the future of a rural school that would be listed under the new code.
Wel, Andrew, fel y dywedoch, rydym yn adolygu'r cod. Gosodwyd y cod drafft sydd wedi'i adolygu i adlewyrchu'r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad—yr ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd y llynedd—gerbron y Cynulliad ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon. Fel sy'n ofynnol o dan Ddeddf 2013, mae'n rhaid bod y cod wedi'i osod am 40 diwrnod, a gall ddod i rym wedi hynny oni bai fod y Cynulliad yn penderfynu peidio â'i gymeradwyo. Felly, buaswn yn disgwyl i'r cod newydd ddod i rym ar 1 Tachwedd, os yw'r cyd-Aelodau o amgylch y Siambr hon yn fodlon. Rydym wedi bod yn glir iawn gydag awdurdodau lleol mewn perthynas â chyfeiriad y polisi yn y maes hwn a buaswn yn disgwyl iddynt fod yn ymwybodol o hynny pan fyddant yn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniadau ynglŷn â dyfodol ysgol wledig a fyddai wedi'i rhestru o dan y cod newydd.
Cabinet Secretary, I've heard, in relation to the proposed transfer/closure of Llancarfan Primary School, which my colleague has just referred to, that the issue of access to the school building programme requires schools, often, to be built on new sites and schools to be consolidated or expanded. This is a real problem for schools in rural communities, where there may be a constrained site, no alternative available and where money is not available for adaptation—you've just got to go with a comprehensive new build—and this restricts the choices that local authorities have, especially when they want to increase the viability of our smaller, rural schools. Will you look at the building programme?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mewn perthynas â'r cynlluniau arfaethedig i symud/cau Ysgol Gynradd Llancarfan, y cyfeiriodd fy nghyd-Aelod atynt yn awr, clywais fod mater mynediad at y rhaglen adeiladu ysgolion yn aml yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i ysgolion gael eu hadeiladu ar safleoedd newydd ac i ysgolion gael eu cyfuno neu eu hehangu. Mae hon yn broblem wirioneddol i ysgolion mewn cymunedau gwledig, lle gall fod yno safle cyfyngedig, heb opsiwn arall ar gael a lle nad oes arian ar gael ar gyfer addasu—mae'n rhaid i chi gael adeilad newydd cynhwysfawr—ac mae hyn yn cyfyngu ar y dewisiadau sydd gan awdurdodau lleol, yn enwedig pan fyddant yn awyddus i gynyddu hyfywedd ein hysgolion gwledig, llai o faint. A wnewch chi edrych ar y rhaglen adeiladu?
First of all, can I say that it is not a requirement of the twenty-first century schools programme, to access that money, to have a completely new build? In fact, I have been to refurbishment projects the length and breadth of this country where twenty-first century schools programme money has been used to refurbish part of a school—in fact, in your new leader's constituency not so long ago. So, this idea that you could only access that money if you build a brand new school from scratch is a fallacy. That is not correct.
Each case that is put forward by our partners in local government is judged on its merits. What I do understand, with regard to the issue that I know was exercising the mind of both Andrew and you, and the Assembly Member for the Vale of Glamorgan, is the case of Llancarfan. The decision that was taken at a meeting, I believe, on Monday of this week, is that the consultation that the Vale has gone out to is now to be referred to their scrutiny committee, and they are to allow the members of that scrutiny committee to look at the proposals that the Vale of Glamorgan Council has come forward with—which I welcome—and it will ultimately be a matter for those who run the Vale of Glamorgan Council to make a decision on the future of that school.
Yn gyntaf, a gaf fi ddweud nad yw'n ofynnol cael adeilad cwbl newydd er mwyn cael mynediad at arian y rhaglen ysgolion ar gyfer yr unfed ganrif ar hugain? Mewn gwirionedd, rwyf wedi ymweld â phrosiectau adnewyddu ledled y wlad lle mae arian ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain wedi'i ddefnyddio i adnewyddu rhan o ysgol—yn etholaeth eich arweinydd newydd heb fod mor hir â hynny'n ôl. Felly, mae'r syniad hwn mai dim ond drwy adeiladu ysgol newydd sbon y gallwch gael mynediad at yr arian hwnnw yn gamsyniad. Nid yw hynny'n gywir.
Ystyrir pob achos a gyflwynir gan ein partneriaid llywodraeth leol yn ôl ei rinweddau ei hun. Yr hyn a ddeallaf, o ran y mater y gwn ei fod wedi bod yn dreth ar feddyliau Andrew a chi, a'r Aelod Cynulliad dros Fro Morgannwg, yw achos Llancarfan. Y penderfyniad a wnaed mewn cyfarfod ddydd Llun yr wythnos hon, rwy'n credu, yw y bydd yr ymgynghoriad a gynhaliwyd gan y Fro yn cael ei gyfeirio'n awr at eu pwyllgor craffu, a byddant yn caniatáu i aelodau'r pwyllgor craffu hwnnw edrych ar y cynigion a gyflwynwyd gan Gyngor Bro Morgannwg—ac rwy'n eu croesawu—ac yn y pen draw, mater i'r rheini sy'n rhedeg Cyngor Bro Morgannwg fydd gwneud penderfyniad ynglŷn â dyfodol yr ysgol honno.
Rydw i'n meddwl bod fy safbwynt i ar gefnogi ysgolion gwledig yn reit hysbys. Rydw i'n cydymdeimlo, mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, â chynghorau ym mhob cwr o Gymru sy'n wynebu sefyllfaoedd cyllidol amhosib. Rydw i yn meddwl bod rhaid i Lywodraeth sicrhau cyllid digonol i gefnogi dulliau arloesol o gadw ysgolion yn ein cymunedau ni—cefnogaeth i greu ysgolion ardal aml-safle, er enghraifft, sef rhywbeth rydw i yn ei gefnogi. Un elfen sydd yn rhoi pwysau ar gyllidebau addysg, fel rydym ni wedi ei glywed, ydy'r backlog o waith cynnal a chadw. Rydw i'n clywed beth rydych chi'n ei ddweud fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, ond, heb os, mae'r tueddiad yna yn rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain tuag at adeiladu ysgolion newydd, mwy, sydd ddim yn gweithio yng nghefn gwlad o reidrwydd. Felly, a allwch chi, fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, roi ymrwymiad i chwilio am becyn newydd o gyllid sylweddol a phenodol at y diben hwn, fel bod cyflwr adeilad ysgol yn nghefn gwlad ddim yn yrrwr mor gryf pan fydd hi'n dod at benderfyniadau ar ddyfodol ysgolion?
I think my views on supporting rural schools are well known. I sympathise with councils in all parts of Wales that face impossible budgetary scenarios and I do think that the Government has to secure adequate funding to support innovative methods of keeping schools in our communities and providing support to create multi-site area schools, which is something that I support. One element that puts pressure on education budgets, as we’ve heard, is the backlog of maintenance work, and I hear what you say as Cabinet Secretary, but, without doubt, the trend is there in the twenty-first century schools programme towards building new, larger schools, which don’t necessarily work in rural areas. So, can you, as Cabinet Secretary, give a commitment to seek a new package of finance that is substantial and specifically for this purpose, so that the condition of a school building in rural Wales isn’t such a strong driver when it comes to making decisions on the future of schools?
Again, Presiding Officer, I would have to challenge the implication by the Member that twenty-first century schools is only available for new buildings. Again, I have been to schools in the Member's own constituency—to refurbishment projects—where investment has been used to improve facilities at a school.
With regard to additional resources for rural schools, the Member will be aware that we will be making additional resources of some £10 million over this Assembly available through our new small and rural schools grant to encourage innovation and support greater school-to-school working to address issues and some of the practical difficulties of delivering education in a rural area—money that his own council has been made aware of and has applied for and is being utilised.
Unwaith eto, Lywydd, byddai'n rhaid i mi herio'r awgrym gan yr Aelod fod rhaglen ysgolion yr unfed ganrif ar hugain ar gael ar gyfer adeiladau newydd yn unig. Unwaith eto, rwyf wedi ymweld ag ysgolion yn etholaeth yr Aelod—prosiectau adnewyddu—lle defnyddiwyd buddsoddiad i wella cyfleusterau mewn ysgol.
O ran adnoddau ychwanegol ar gyfer ysgolion gwledig, bydd yr Aelod yn ymwybodol y byddwn yn darparu oddeutu £10 miliwn o adnoddau ychwanegol yn ystod tymor y Cynulliad hwn drwy ein grant newydd ar gyfer ysgolion bach a gwledig i annog arloesi a chefnogi rhagor o waith ysgol-i-ysgol er mwyn mynd i'r afael â phroblemau a rhai o'r anawsterau ymarferol sydd ynghlwm wrth ddarparu addysg mewn ardal wledig—arian y mae ei gyngor ei hun yn ymwybodol ohono ac wedi gwneud cais amdano ac sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio.
Cabinet Secretary, I've read the code that was laid on Monday. In it, it has a designation of rural schools for the purpose of presumption against closure, and it uses the Office for National Statistics' rural and urban classification, which I accept, and that's why the list on the back is there. But when you then go and look at the extra, detailed requirements, I ask the question: why aren't they applicable to all schools, because actually, those extra requirements should be applicable to every single school that's being considered for closure? The local authority in my area has designated the closure of Cymer Afan Comprehensive School, but the detailed, conscientious study that is required, particularly around community impact, has to be applied to every single school. Will you look at this and say that it's not just for rural schools and that this should be for every school?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwyf wedi darllen y cod a osodwyd ddydd Llun. Mae'n cynnwys dynodiad o ysgolion gwledig at ddibenion rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau, ac mae'n defnyddio dosbarthiad gwledig a threfol y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, ac rwy'n derbyn hwnnw, a dyna pam fod y rhestr yno ar y cefn. Ond pan edrychwch ar y gofynion ychwanegol manwl, rwy'n gofyn y cwestiwn: pam nad ydynt yn berthnasol i bob ysgol, oherwydd mewn gwirionedd, dylai'r gofynion ychwanegol hynny fod yn berthnasol i bob ysgol sydd dan ystyriaeth ar gyfer ei chau? Mae'r awdurdod lleol yn fy ardal i wedi dynodi y dylid cau Ysgol Gyfun Cymer Afan, ond mae'n rhaid i'r astudiaeth fanwl a chydwybodol sydd ei hangen, yn enwedig ynghylch yr effaith ar y gymuned, gael ei defnyddio mewn perthynas â phob ysgol. A wnewch chi edrych ar hyn a dweud nad yw'n ymwneud ag ysgolion gwledig yn unig ac y dylai fod yn berthnasol ar gyfer pob ysgol?
Well, David, you will be aware that the regulations and the code set out a very stringent set of criteria that local authorities must apply when looking to close any school. It was important to me, and I feel it is important to many rural communities given the nature of rural life, that an added protection is made available to schools that serve a rural community. If we're to have a presumption against the closure of those schools then we have to have a list and we have to have an honest and open, transparent criteria as to how a school gets on the list. We have used, as you stated, the Office for National Statistics urban/rural classification to do that. As a result of the consultation, we have expanded the categories of schools that will be covered by the rural list to include more schools than were initially envisaged by this Government. But when considering the future of any school, the rest of the code applies and my expectation is that any local authority would apply that code rigorously, which looks at the community impact any school closure may have, whether that school closure be in a rural or in a more urban area.
Wel, David, fe fyddwch yn ymwybodol fod y rheoliadau a'r cod wedi nodi set o feini prawf llym iawn y mae'n rhaid i awdurdodau lleol eu defnyddio wrth ystyried cau unrhyw ysgol. Roedd yn bwysig i mi, a theimlaf ei bod yn bwysig i lawer o gymunedau gwledig o ystyried natur bywyd gwledig, fod mesur diogelwch ychwanegol ar gael i ysgolion sy'n gwasanaethu cymuned wledig. Os ydym am gael rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau'r ysgolion hynny mae'n rhaid inni gael rhestr ac mae'n rhaid inni gael meini prawf gonest, agored a thryloyw ynglŷn â'r modd y caiff ysgol ei rhoi ar y rhestr. Rydym wedi defnyddio, fel y dywedoch chi, ddosbarthiad trefol/gwledig y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol er mwyn gwneud hynny. O ganlyniad i'r ymgynghoriad, rydym wedi ehangu'r categorïau ysgolion a gwmpesir gan y rhestr wledig i gynnwys mwy o ysgolion nag a ragwelwyd gan y Llywodraeth hon yn wreiddiol. Ond wrth ystyried dyfodol unrhyw ysgol, mae gweddill y cod yn berthnasol a buaswn yn disgwyl i unrhyw awdurdod lleol ddefnyddio'r cod hwnnw'n drwyadl, gan ystyried yr effaith y gallai cau unrhyw ysgol ei chael ar y gymuned, boed yr ysgol honno mewn ardal wledig neu mewn ardal fwy trefol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Siân Gwenllian.
Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Siân Gwenllian.
Diolch, Llywydd. Mae un o'r prif bwyntiau gweithredu o dan thema 2, 'Cynyddu'r defnydd o'r Gymraeg', yn eich strategaeth 'Cymraeg 2050' yn ymwneud a rôl ganolog y gweithle wrth gyrraedd y targed o weld 20 y cant o'r boblogaeth yn defnyddio'r Gymraeg bob dydd. Rydych chi'n cydnabod rôl hanfodol Llywodraeth Cymru fel cyflogwr pwysig yng Nghymru yn hynny o beth ac yn ymrwymo y byddwch chi fel Llywodraeth yn, ac rydw i'n dyfynnu,
'arwain drwy esiampl drwy hybu a hwyluso cynnydd yn y defnydd a wneir o’r Gymraeg gan ein gweithlu ein hunain.'
A allwch chi roi diweddariad i ni ar y gwaith yma?
Thank you, Llywydd. One of the main action points under the theme 2, 'Increasing the use of Welsh', in your 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy, relates to the central role of the workplace in reaching the target of seeing 20 per cent of the population using the Welsh language on a daily basis. You recognise the crucial role that the Welsh Government has, as an important employer in Wales, in that regard and commit that you as a Government, and I quote, will
ensure that Welsh Government leads by example by promoting and facilitating increased use of Welsh by our own workforce.'
Can you give us an update on that work?
Wel, wrth gwrs, rŷm ni yn annog aelodau sy'n gweithio i Lywodraeth Cymru i ddysgu Cymraeg ac mae llawer o gyfleoedd iddyn nhw, ond mae yna adroddiad mewnol sydd yn cael ei ddatblygu yn edrych ar sut rŷm ni fel Llywodraeth yn mynd i ymateb i ofynion 2050. Fe wnes i gyfarfod â'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ddoe i drafod hynny.
Well, of course, we do encourage members of staff working for Welsh Government to learn Welsh, and there are many opportunities for them to do so, but there is an internal report that is being further developed looking at how we as a Government will respond to the requirements of 2050. I met with the Permanent Secretary yesterday to discuss that.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae gen i gopi o adroddiad sy'n dangos bod gennych chi weithgor mewnol o uwch-weision sifil wedi cael ei sefydlu, fel rydych chi'n ei ddweud, a hynny yn ôl yn haf 2016. Mae'r adroddiad yn argymell y dylai gwasanaeth sifil Llywodraeth Cymru ymrwymo i fod yn sefydliad dwyieithog efo'r Gymraeg a'r Saesneg yn ieithoedd gweinyddol swyddogol erbyn 2036. Fel rhan o hynny, mae'ch gweision sifil yn dod i'r casgliad bod yn rhaid gwneud lefel o beth sy'n cael ei alw'n Gymraeg cwrteisi neu Gymraeg sylfaenol yn ofynnol ar gyfer pob swydd yn Llywodraeth Cymru fel man cychwyn. Rydym ni efo'n gilydd tan y pwynt yma. Mae nifer o gyrff, gan gynnwys Comisiwn y Cynulliad, Heddlu De Cymru a Chyngor Sir Gâr, wedi cyflwyno model cwrteisi o'r fath, sy'n golygu meddu ar sgiliau dwyieithog cwbl sylfaenol fel, er enghraifft, ynganu geiriau Cymraeg yn gywir a chyfarch yn syml, fel 'bore da', 'prynhawn da', 'hwyl fawr' ac yn y blaen. Ond, fis diwethaf, mewn llythyr ataf i, fe ddywedodd yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol nad oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru gynlluniau i wneud lefel cwrteisi cwbl sylfaenol o'r fath yma yn ofynnol. Felly, flwyddyn a hanner ers i adroddiad eich arbenigwyr argymell hynny, pam fod Llywodraeth Cymru heb allu ymrwymo i weithredu mesurau cwbl sylfaenol o'r fath, ac onid ydy hi'n hen bryd i'r Llywodraeth arwain drwy esiampl?
Thank you very much. I have a copy of a report that demonstrates that you do have an internal working group of senior civil servants that has been established, as you said, and that was back in the summer of 2016. The report recommends that the Welsh Government civil service should commit to becoming a bilingual organisation, with Welsh and English as official administrative languages by 2036. As part of that, your civil servants have come to the conclusion that a level of what is called courtesy Welsh or basic Welsh should be a requirement for all posts within the Welsh Government as a starting point. Now, we’re in agreement up until that point. There are a number of organisations, including the Assembly Commission, South Wales Police and Carmarthenshire council, that have introduced a courtesy model that is similar, which would require bilingual skills—at a very fundamental level, or a basic level, such as enunciating Welsh words correctly and giving simple greetings such as 'bore da', 'prynhawn da', 'hwyl fawr' and so on and so forth. But, last month, in a letter to me, the Permanent Secretary said that the Welsh Government has no plans to introduce a very basic courtesy level of this kind and to make it mandatory. So, a year and a half since your expert panel recommended that, why hasn’t the Welsh Government been able to commit to implementing these fundamental measures and isn’t it about time that the Government led by example?
Wel, diolch yn fawr. Fel y dywedais i, rwyf wedi cwrdd â'r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol i drafod yr union fater yma ddoe. Mae rhan o beth oedd yn cael ei argymell yn yr adroddiad, rwy'n meddwl, yn ymwneud â diffiniadau o yn union beth sy'n cael ei olygu wrth ba lefel o Gymreictod, ac rwy'n meddwl bod hynny yn issue rwy'n meddwl bod yn rhaid i ni ei drafod ymhellach. Mae yna ffyrdd o wneud hynny ac mae'n rhaid i ni gael gwell dealltwriaeth o hynny. Mae hi, rydw i'n gwybod, wedi gofyn am fwy o waith i gael ei wneud ar y mater yma, ac wrth gwrs, bydd rhaid i hynny wedyn ymwneud â'r ffordd rŷm ni yn mynd i sicrhau bod ein nod o gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr yn rhan annatod o beth rŷm ni’n ei wneud yng nghanol Llywodraeth Cymru.
Well, thank you very much. As I said, I met with the Permanent Secretary to discuss this exact same matter yesterday. Part of what was recommended in the report involves definitions of exactly what is meant by whichever level of Welsh language proficiency we’re talking about, and I think we need to talk about that further. There are ways of doing that. We must get a better understanding of that. But I do know that she has requested that more work is undertaken on this issue and that will then appertain to the way in which we are going to ensure that our aim of attaining our aim of attaining a million speakers will be an integral part of what we're doing within Welsh Government.
Felly, bydd blwyddyn a hanner arall, mae’n debyg, tan inni gael diffiniad o rywbeth sydd yn hollol, hollol amlwg a chlir a syml, sef beth yn union ydy Cymraeg cwrteisi. Rwyf newydd enghreifftio hynny—pethau fel dweud 'bore da', 'prynhawn da', a medru ynganu geiriau Cymraeg yn gywir. Dyna i gyd ydy o; y lefel isaf un o sgiliau iaith Gymraeg. Felly, nid wyf fi’n deall pam ei fod yn cymryd gymaint o amser i gyflwyno hyn. Yr unig beth fedraf i feddwl ydy nad yw'r ewyllys ddim yna i fwrw ymlaen efo hyn, ac mai dyna sydd y tu ôl i hyn, ac nad ydych chi’n barod, fel Llywodraeth, i ddangos yr esiampl glir yna sydd ei angen.
So, it'll be another year and a half, it seems, until we get a definition of something that is entirely clear and simple, namely exactly what courtesy Welsh is. I've just given examples: things such as saying, 'bore da', 'prynhawn da', and being able to say Welsh words correctly. That's all it is. It's a very basic level of skills, the lowest level of Welsh language skills. So, I can't understand why it's taken quite so long to introduce this. The only thing that I can think is that the will isn't there to make progress here and that that is what is underpinning this and that you as a Government are not willing to show that clear example, which is so necessary.
Wel, nid ydym ni wedi cael y papur yma yn swyddogol o’n blaenau ni eto achos nid yw’n rhywbeth sydd wedi cael ei derfynu gan yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol yn barod. Felly, mae’n rhaid inni aros tan bod yr adroddiad yna’n dod allan, wedyn fe wnawn ni benderfyniad gwleidyddol ynglŷn ag a ydym ni eisiau parhau gyda’r system yna neu a ydym ni eisiau mynd ag ef ymhellach.
Well, we haven't actually received this paper officially as yet, because it hasn't been signed off by the Permanent Secretary as yet. So, we have to wait until that report is issued, and then we will take the political decision as to whether we wish to continue with that system or whether we want to take it further.
Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Suzy Davies.
Conservative spokesperson, Suzy Davies.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. First of all, can I just thank Paul Davies for appointing me to this new position? I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to it. I hope the Cabinet Secretary won't mind if I start with something of personal interest and return to rural schools, bearing in mind the experience of my own family over the last 15 years or so.
I can see that the consultation on these changes, and of course other changes to the code—we mustn't forget that—was held over a year ago, pretty much during the summer holiday period of 2017. How did your department comply with its obligation to give due regard to article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in the course of the consultation?
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, a gaf fi ddiolch i Paul Davies am fy mhenodi i'r swydd newydd hon? Ni allaf ddweud wrthych faint rwy'n edrych ymlaen. Gobeithiaf na fydd ots gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet os dechreuaf gyda rhywbeth o ddiddordeb personol a dychwelyd at ysgolion gwledig, o ystyried profiad fy nheulu dros y 15 mlynedd diwethaf.
Gallaf weld bod yr ymgynghoriad ar y newidiadau hyn, ac wrth gwrs, ar newidiadau eraill i'r cod—rhaid inni beidio ag anghofio hynny—wedi'i gynnal dros flwyddyn yn ôl, fwy neu lai yn ystod gwyliau haf 2017. Sut y gwnaeth eich adran gydymffurfio â'i rhwymedigaeth i roi sylw dyledus i erthygl 12 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn wrth gynnal yr ymgynghoriad?
Presiding Officer, could I take this opportunity to welcome Suzy Davies to her new role? I look forward to working with her. And I take this opportunity to thank Darren for the working relationship that we have had—[Laughter.]
Lywydd, a gaf fi gymryd y cyfle hwn i groesawu Suzy Davies i'w rôl newydd? Edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda hi. A hoffwn gymryd y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i Darren am y berthynas waith a fu gennym—[Chwerthin.]
That's the first time that's ever happened. [Laughter.]
Dyna'r tro cyntaf i hynny ddigwydd. [Chwerthin.]
The truth about Darren Millar is that his bark is worse than his bite. While we have exchanged jibes here over the dispatch box, behind the scenes it's quite easy to work together and do business.
Y gwir am Darren Millar yw bod ei gyfarth yn waeth na'i frathiad. Er ein bod wedi croesi cleddyfau yn y fan hon, y tu ôl i'r llen, mae'n eithaf hawdd cydweithio a chyflawni gwaith.
You're too kind—[Interruption.] [Laughter.]
Rydych yn rhy garedig—[Torri ar draws.] [Chwerthin.]
You're shattering our illusions.
Rydych yn chwalu ein canfyddiadau.
Come on, you've done enough damage to my reputation. Please move on. [Laughter.]
Dewch ymlaen, rydych wedi gwneud digon o ddifrod i fy enw da. Parhewch os gwelwch yn dda. [Chwerthin.]
I say to Suzy Davies that I know that she and I both share a passion for improving the standards of rural education, recognising that rural schools have an important part to play, not just in the education of rural children but in the wider community. In many rural locations, the school is the last standing public building in that location, and therefore we need to do what we can to support them. With regard to the consultation, I'm satisfied that, in carrying out that consultation last year, Welsh Government was consistent with all requirements that were placed upon them.
Rwyf am ddweud wrth Suzy Davies fy mod yn ymwybodol ei bod hi a minnau'n rhannu dyhead i wella safonau addysg wledig, gan gydnabod bod gan ysgolion gwledig ran bwysig i'w chwarae, nid yn unig o ran addysg plant gwledig ond yn y gymuned ehangach. Mewn llawer o leoliadau gwledig, yr ysgol yw'r unig adeilad cyhoeddus sydd ar ôl yn y lle hwnnw, ac felly mae angen inni wneud ein gorau i'w cefnogi. O ran yr ymgynghoriad, rwy'n fodlon, wrth gynnal yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw y llynedd, fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydymffurfio â'r holl ofynion a roddwyd arnynt.
Well, thank you for that answer and for your very kind words, of course. I have to say, though, that the majority of responses that came in on the consultation were from councils, diocesan bodies and unions, and the children's voice was represented solely, it would seem to me anyway, by the children's commissioner, and I'm not quite sure how she managed to get the information or views of young people during that period, bearing in mind that it was their school holidays.
I'd be especially keen to know, actually, how those young people grappled with the national statistics office's urban/rural classification, which David Rees was talking about earlier. Certainly, a third of the adults who responded to the consultation weren't happy with adopting just one of the eight classifications in this method of identifying a rural school. But then it took nine months to report back to them with a longer list of schools, adding in that second classification to aid identification. And the stated audience for that report, released only on 2 July of this year, comprised local authorities, governing bodies, diocesan authorities, Estyn and some others with interest. No clear route to children's views or, indeed, school staff, as it was issued once again shortly before the summer school holiday.
You laid the new code on Monday, so at least that wasn't during the summer break, but the 16 months it has taken this to come into force hasn't given local education authorities a chance to sneak under the wire of a stringent regime; you've given them over a year to accelerate consideration of the very types of closure you rightly hoped to avoid. And I can tell you with my experience of the closure of Cwrt Sart, which isn't a rural school, that local authorities may be cognisant of a direction of travel, but they can be very, very determined to ignore it if they wish. So, can you tell us why it took nine months to report back on just 70 surveys, and why in June 2017 you didn't ask education authorities to pause any closure plans they may have been considering pending these material changes?
Wel, diolch am eich ateb ac am eich geiriau caredig iawn, wrth gwrs. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, fodd bynnag, fod y rhan fwyaf o'r ymatebion a gafwyd yn yr ymgynghoriad wedi dod gan gynghorau, cyrff esgobaethol ac undebau, a chynrychiolwyd llais y plant, ymddengys i mi beth bynnag, gan y comisiynydd plant yn unig, ac nid wyf yn siŵr sut y llwyddodd i gael gwybodaeth neu safbwyntiau pobl ifanc yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw, o gofio eu bod ar eu gwyliau ysgol.
Buaswn yn arbennig o awyddus i wybod, mewn gwirionedd, sut y gwnaeth y bobl ifanc hynny ymdopi â dosbarthiad trefol/gwledig y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol a grybwyllwyd gan David Rees yn gynharach. Yn sicr, nid oedd traean o'r oedolion a ymatebodd i'r ymgynghoriad yn barod i fabwysiadu un yn unig o'r wyth dosbarthiad yn y dull hwn o nodi ysgol wledig. Ond eto, cymerwyd naw mis i ddod yn ôl atynt gyda rhestr hwy o ysgolion, gan ychwanegu'r ail ddosbarthiad hwnnw i gynorthwyo'r broses nodi. Ac roedd y gynulleidfa ddatganedig ar gyfer yr adroddiad hwnnw, a ryddhawyd ar 2 Gorffennaf eleni, yn cynnwys awdurdodau lleol, cyrff llywodraethu, awdurdodau esgobaethol, Estyn a rhai eraill â buddiant. Dim llwybr clir at safbwyntiau plant, na staff ysgol yn wir, gan iddo gael ei gyhoeddi unwaith eto yn fuan cyn y gwyliau haf.
Fe gyflwynoch chi'r cod newydd ddydd Llun, felly nid oedd hynny yn ystod toriad yr haf o leiaf, ond nid yw'r 16 mis y mae wedi'i gymryd i ddod i rym wedi rhoi cyfle i awdurdodau addysg lleol sleifio o dan wifren cyfundrefn lem; rydych wedi rhoi dros flwyddyn iddynt gyflymu eu hystyriaethau o'r math o gau roeddech yn iawn i obeithio'i osgoi. A gallaf ddweud wrthych gyda fy mhrofiad pan gaewyd Cwrt Sart, nad yw'n ysgol wledig, y gall awdurdodau lleol fod yn ymwybodol o'r cyfeiriad teithio, ond gallant fod yn benderfynol iawn o'i anwybyddu os ydynt yn dymuno. Felly, a allwch ddweud wrthym pam ei bod wedi cymryd naw mis i adrodd ar 70 arolwg yn unig, a pham na ofynasoch ym mis Mehefin 2017 i awdurdodau addysg ohirio unrhyw gynlluniau a allai fod ganddynt i gau wrth aros am y newidiadau perthnasol hyn?
Well, Suzy, the purpose of the consultation is to seek as wide a range of views as possible. In the choice that I had as the Minister, I could have ignored the results of the consultation and laid the code earlier or I could have taken on board the comments that were made in the consultation that the list of schools wasn't long enough, and therefore ignore that and just plough on. I took the decision that I would rather delay the implementation of the code so that we could have a longer list of schools, so that we could respond positively to the points that have been made in the consultation. Otherwise, why have the consultation at all if I was determined to plough on ahead with the initial proposals? The reason why the second consultation was a limited one was because I felt it was only fair to those local authorities who, perhaps, had not responded to the first consultation because they felt they weren't affected by it because they had no schools on the list, but they would suddenly find themselves with schools on the list. I thought it was only fair to our partners in local government that they had an opportunity to respond to a policy that would now affect them if they were labouring under the misapprehension that previously the policy didn't affect them. The code has been laid as soon as it can under the proper Standing Orders here at the National Assembly for Wales, and I've been quite clear since I took up this office of my determination to support and protect rural schools as much as possible. But we have to be realistic: even with this code, that does not mean that all rural schools will remain open, but the case for closing them has to be strong, and local authorities in those areas, if they have a school that's on the list, should start on the basis that closure is the last option and they should seek every opportunity through a variety of ways to keep those schools open.
Wel, Suzy, diben yr ymgynghoriad yw cael gafael ar amrywiaeth mor eang o safbwyntiau â phosibl. Yn y dewis a oedd gennyf fel Gweinidog, gallwn fod wedi anwybyddu canlyniadau'r ymgynghoriad a chyflwyno'r cod yn gynharach neu gallwn fod wedi ystyried y sylwadau a wnaed yn yr ymgynghoriad nad oedd y rhestr o ysgolion yn ddigon hir, ac anwybyddu hynny a bwrw ymlaen. Penderfynais y byddai'n well gennyf ohirio'r broses o roi'r cod ar waith fel y gallem gael rhestr hwy o ysgolion, fel y gallem ymateb yn gadarnhaol i'r pwyntiau a wnaed yn yr ymgynghoriad. Fel arall, pam cynnal yr ymgynghoriad o gwbl os oeddwn yn benderfynol o fwrw ymlaen gyda'r cynigion cychwynnol? Y rheswm pam oedd yr ail ymgynghoriad yn un cyfyngedig oedd fy mod yn teimlo ei bod ond yn deg i'r awdurdodau lleol nad oeddent, efallai, wedi ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad cyntaf gan eu bod yn teimlo nad oedd yn effeithio arnynt am nad oedd ganddynt unrhyw ysgolion ar y rhestr, ond yn sydyn, byddai ganddynt ysgolion ar y rhestr. Credwn ei bod hi ond yn deg i'n partneriaid llywodraeth leol gael cyfle i ymateb i bolisi a fyddai bellach yn effeithio arnynt os oeddent o dan gamargraff nad oedd y polisi yn effeithio arnynt cyn hynny. Mae'r cod wedi'i gyflwyno cyn gynted ag y gellid gwneud hynny o dan y Rheolau Sefydlog priodol yma yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, ac rwyf wedi dweud yn gwbl glir ers imi ymgymryd â'r swydd hon fy mod yn benderfynol o gefnogi a diogelu ysgolion gwledig gymaint â phosibl. Ond mae'n rhaid inni fod yn realistig: hyd yn oed gyda'r cod hwn, nid yw hynny'n golygu y bydd pob ysgol wledig yn parhau i fod ar agor, ond mae'n rhaid i'r achos dros eu cau fod yn un cryf, a dylai awdurdodau lleol yn yr ardaloedd hynny, os oes ganddynt ysgol ar y rhestr, ddechrau ar y sail mai cau yw'r dewis olaf a dylent geisio pob cyfle drwy amrywiaeth o ffyrdd i gadw'r ysgolion hynny ar agor.
Well, thank you for that answer. It takes nine months to produce a child; I hoped it would have been a bit quicker to produce a code. The school standards Act and the rights of children and young persons Measure aren't the only pieces of legislation that are relevant to school reorganisation; the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 is now in force, and I'm pleased to say that in the course of these changes—and, in fact, you referred to this earlier as well—you have said more than once that the existence of a small school in a community can be material to the sustainability of that community. At what point should an education authority consider the principles of the future generations Act? Is it during the process of deciding whether or not to go ahead and consult on a school closure, or is it during any consultation itself?
Wel, diolch am eich ateb. Mae'n cymryd naw mis i gynhyrchu plentyn; roeddwn yn gobeithio y byddai cynhyrchu cod wedi bod ychydig bach yn gynt. Nid y Ddeddf safonau ysgolion a'r Mesur hawliau plant a phobl ifanc yw'r unig ddarnau o ddeddfwriaeth sy'n berthnasol i ad-drefnu ysgolion; mae Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 mewn grym bellach, ac rwy'n falch o ddweud, yn ystod y newidiadau hyn—ac yn wir, fe gyfeirioch chi at hyn yn gynharach hefyd—rydych wedi dweud fwy nag unwaith y gall bodolaeth ysgol fach yn y gymuned fod yn hollbwysig i gynaliadwyedd y gymuned honno. Ar ba adeg y dylai awdurdod addysg ystyried egwyddorion Deddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol? Ai yn ystod y broses o benderfynu a ddylid mynd ati i ymgynghori ynghylch cau ysgol, neu yn ystod unrhyw ymgynghoriad?
Well, all local authorities are subject to the legislation that was passed here by a previous Assembly. What is really important is that they use the provisions of the future generations Act to inform their actions at the earliest opportunity, and I would argue, under the code that has been laid and hopefully will come into force in November, if nobody prays against it, that that presumption against a closure and the option to seek alternatives to keeping a school open, again, should not be left to the official consultation period, but should be employed by the council before they make any decision to go out to consultation on the future of the school. Because you and I both know that once you start that official consultation process, that can blight an individual educational establishment. So, it's very clear that the local authority should use this code and consider the presumption even before they go to a formal consultation and they should take into their consideration their obligations under the future generations and well-being Act at that point.
Wel, mae pob awdurdod lleol yn ddarostyngedig i'r ddeddfwriaeth a gyflwynwyd yma gan Gynulliad blaenorol. Yr hyn sy'n wirioneddol bwysig yw eu bod yn defnyddio darpariaethau Deddf cenedlaethau'r dyfodol i lywio eu gweithredoedd ar y cyfle cyntaf, a buaswn yn dadlau, o dan y cod sydd wedi'i gyflwyno ac a fydd yn dod i rym ym mis Tachwedd, gobeithio, os nad oes unrhyw un yn gweddïo yn ei erbyn, na ddylid gadael y rhagdybiaeth honno yn erbyn cau a'r opsiwn i chwilio am ddewisiadau eraill i gadw ysgol ar agor, unwaith eto, tan y cyfnod ymgynghori swyddogol, ond dylai'r cyngor eu harchwilio cyn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniad i gynnal ymgynghoriad ar ddyfodol yr ysgol. Oherwydd fe wyddoch chi a minnau, pan fyddwch yn dechrau'r broses ymgynghori swyddogol, gall hynny ddifetha sefydliad addysgol unigol. Felly, mae'n glir iawn y dylai'r awdurdod lleol ddefnyddio'r cod hwn ac ystyried y rhagdybiaeth hyd yn oed cyn iddynt ymgynghori'n ffurfiol a dylent ystyried eu rhwymedigaethau o dan Ddeddf llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol ar yr adeg honno.
Llefarydd UKIP, Michelle Brown.
UKIP spokesperson, Michelle Brown.
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. In August, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland, said she believes change is not happening quickly enough to safeguard children who are educated at home. This comes after two cases in as many years of children having been neglected, one of whom sadly died as a result. Can you tell me what you've been doing to safeguard children who are home schooled?
Diolch, Lywydd, a phrynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ym mis Awst, dywedodd Comisiynydd Plant Cymru, Sally Holland, nad yw'n credu bod newid yn digwydd yn ddigon cyflym i ddiogelu plant sy'n cael eu haddysgu yn y cartref. Daw hyn ar ôl dau achos mewn dwy flynedd o blant yn cael eu hesgeuluso, a bu un ohonynt farw o ganlyniad i hynny, yn anffodus. A allwch chi ddweud wrthyf beth ydych chi wedi bod yn ei wneud i ddiogelu plant sy'n cael eu haddysgu yn y cartref?
First of all, I would just caution the Member to make a direct correlation between the decision for parents to home educate and that, potentially, leading to a child being unsafe. I think that is a point of principle we need to start from: there is not a read-across in that situation. Since I made my statement to the Chamber previously about my intention to go out to consultation on the establishment of a database and enhanced support for parents who choose home education—that consultation will happen in this autumn term.
Yn gyntaf, dylwn rybuddio'r Aelod rhag gwneud cysylltiad uniongyrchol rhwng penderfyniad rhieni i addysgu yn y cartref, a bod hynny, o bosibl, yn arwain at wneud blentyn yn anniogel. Credaf fod hwnnw'n bwynt o egwyddor y mae angen inni ddechrau ohono: nid oes cysylltiad rhwng y ddau beth. Ers fy natganiad blaenorol i'r Siambr ynglŷn â fy mwriad i gynnal ymgynghoriad ar sefydlu cronfa ddata a gwell cefnogaeth i rieni sy'n dewis addysgu yn y cartref—bydd yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw'n cael ei gynnal yn ystod tymor yr hydref.
Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. On the point of the principle of whether children are safe with their parents, I would completely agree with you—we shouldn't be approaching this from the point of view that children are inherently at risk with their parents. However, Sally Holland has identified a risk. There is obviously a risk because one child who was being home schooled, who was then anonymous to the authorities, ended up dying. Now, I acknowledge that you've announced the establishment of a database to identify children not on the school register, but this falls well short of what the children's commissioner asked for when she said, and I quote:
'I've been calling for the government to act in a stronger way, so have all the directors of education in Wales, all the directors of social services and the government's own independent safeguarding board.'
She went on to say, and, again, I quote:
'For me the pace of change has been too slow and hasn't been strong enough to ensure every child gets the right to an education to be safe and to have their say.'
Is she right?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. O ran yr egwyddor ynglŷn ag a yw plant yn ddiogel gyda'u rhieni, buaswn yn cytuno'n llwyr â chi—ni ddylem ymdrin â hyn o'r safbwynt fod plant mewn perygl anorfod gyda'u rhieni. Fodd bynnag, mae Sally Holland wedi nodi risg. Mae'n amlwg fod yna risg gan fod un plentyn a oedd yn cael ei addysgu yn y cartref, plentyn nad oedd yr awdurdodau yn ymwybodol ohono ar y pryd, wedi marw. Nawr, rwy'n cydnabod eich bod wedi cyhoeddi y bydd cronfa ddata yn cael ei sefydlu i nodi plant nad ydynt ar y gofrestr ysgolion, ond mae hyn ymhell o'r hyn y gofynnodd y comisiynydd plant amdano pan ddywedodd, a dyfynnaf:
Rwyf wedi bod yn galw ar y llywodraeth i weithredu mewn modd cryfach, ac mae'r holl gyfarwyddwyr addysg yng Nghymru, holl gyfarwyddwyr y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a bwrdd diogelu annibynnol y Llywodraeth ei hun wedi gwneud hynny hefyd.
Aeth yn ei blaen i ddweud, ac unwaith eto, rwy'n dyfynnu:
I mi, mae cyflymder y newid wedi bod yn rhy araf ac nid yw wedi bod yn ddigon cryf i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael yr hawl i addysg er mwyn bod yn ddiogel a chael dweud eu dweud.
A yw hi'n iawn?
The commissioner, of course, will have every opportunity to formally comment on the Government's proposals when we go out to consultation. Let me be absolutely clear with the Member: what I am preparing to do is part of our educational reform journey in ensuring that every child is in receipt of suitable education. Any safeguarding issues that arise out of that are incidental and I think it is really, really important for Members to be clear that, even with the establishment of a database, that does not remove the need for all professionals to remain vigilant when dealing with their children, and to remember that that database will only apply to children who are of a compulsory school age, which begins at the age of five. Therefore, if a parent is determined to keep their child away from services, this proposal will only kick in when a child turns five, and I think it is also important to remember that there are limitations—naturally there are limitations—with this proposal if you are looking to ensure that all children are seen at all ages of their lives.
Bydd y comisiynydd, wrth gwrs, yn cael pob cyfle i roi sylwadau ffurfiol ar gynigion y Llywodraeth pan fyddwn yn cynnal yr ymgynghoriad. Gadewch imi ddweud yn gwbl glir wrth yr Aelod: mae'r hyn rwy'n paratoi i'w wneud yn rhan o'n taith ddiwygio addysg i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael addysg briodol. Mae unrhyw faterion diogelu sy'n deillio o hynny yn amgylchiadol a chredaf ei bod yn bwysig iawn i'r Aelodau fod yn glir, hyd yn oed wrth sefydlu cronfa ddata, nad yw hynny'n cael gwared ar yr angen i bob gweithiwr proffesiynol fod yn wyliadwrus wrth ymdrin â'u plant, ac i gofio y bydd y gronfa ddata honno'n berthnasol i blant o oedran ysgol gorfodol yn unig, sy'n dechrau o bum mlwydd oed. Felly, os yw rhiant yn benderfynol o gadw eu plentyn oddi wrth y gwasanaethau, ni fydd y cynnig hwn yn berthnasol hyd nes bydd plentyn yn bump oed, ac mae'n bwysig cofio hefyd fod yna gyfyngiadau—yn naturiol, ceir cyfyngiadau—gyda'r argymhelliad os ydych yn awyddus i sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael eu gweld ar bob oedran yn ystod eu bywydau.
Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I am rather surprised that you would think that safeguarding a child would be peripheral to anything, but I'll move slightly on.
Can you tell me if you've had any conversations with the Cabinet Secretary for health over a way that home-schooled children can receive similar or the same medical checks that children schooled in a normal school would be offered?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n synnu braidd y byddech yn credu y byddai diogelu plentyn yn ymylol i unrhyw beth, ond fe symudaf ymlaen.
A allwch ddweud wrthyf a ydych wedi cael unrhyw sgyrsiau gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros iechyd ynglŷn â ffordd y gall plant sy'n cael eu haddysgu yn y cartref gael gwiriadau meddygol tebyg neu'r un gwiriadau meddygol â phlant sy'n cael eu haddysgu mewn ysgol arferol?
Actually, only this morning I had a meeting with the chief nursing officer to understand how, as part of our enhanced package of support for those parents who choose to home educate, we can ensure that those children have access to some of the health services that they would normally receive in school. So, for many of us—you'll be aware that, if you have teenage children, they'll have vaccinations whilst at secondary school. So, only this morning, I was discussing with the chief nursing officer the issue of vaccination hubs so that children who are educated at home can have access to those services.
Mewn gwirionedd, y bore yma, cefais gyfarfod gyda'r prif swyddog nyrsio i ddeall sut, fel rhan o'n pecyn gwell o gymorth i rieni sy'n dewis addysgu yn y cartref, y gallwn sicrhau bod y plant hynny'n cael mynediad at rai o'r gwasanaethau iechyd y byddent yn eu cael fel arfer yn yr ysgol. Felly, i lawer ohonom—fe fyddwch yn gwybod, os oes gennych blant yn eu harddegau, y byddant yn cael brechiadau yn yr ysgol uwchradd. Felly, y bore yma, bûm yn trafod mater canolfannau brechu gyda'r prif swyddog nyrsio fel y gall plant sy'n cael eu haddysgu yn y cartref gael mynediad at y gwasanaethau hynny.
4. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y twf arfaethedig mewn addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg? OAQ52574
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the proposed growth in Welsh-medium education? OAQ52574
I was pleased that an additional £46 million capital funding was announced this morning to support an array of projects to facilitate the expansion of Welsh-medium education. We were really pleased with the quality of the bids we received, which means that local authorities really have grasped this now and have understood that this is the direction of travel that we'd like to move in.
Roeddwn yn falch fod £46 miliwn yn ychwanegol o arian cyfalaf wedi cael ei gyhoeddi y bore yma i gefnogi amrywiaeth o brosiectau i hwyluso'r gwaith o ehangu addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg. Roeddem yn fodlon iawn ag ansawdd y ceisiadau a dderbyniwyd gennym, sy'n golygu bod awdurdodau lleol wedi deall hyn bellach ac wedi deall mai dyma'r cyfeiriad teithio yr hoffem fynd iddo.
Thank you for that answer. I wasn't aware of what happened this morning, obviously. But if it is intended to create 1 million Welsh speakers, the route most likely to be successful is to increase the number of children attending Welsh-medium schools. I know from personal experience, as do others in this Chamber, just how difficult it is to learn Welsh as an adult. This would mean approximately a third of children in Wales attending Welsh-medium education—somewhere between 30 and 33 per cent, I would calculate. If the Minister's got a different calculation, I'd like to know it, but that's what I come out with. How is this going to be achieved?
And will the Minister visit two schools in my constituency that I know well—Ysgol Gymraeg Tan-y-Lan, where my granddaughters attend, and Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe, which my daughter used to attend in my constituency, both of which have grown dramatically since they were first opened?
Diolch am eich ateb. Nid oeddwn yn ymwybodol o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd y bore yma, yn amlwg. Ond os mai'r bwriad yw creu 1 miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg, y llwybr mwyaf tebygol o fod yn llwyddiannus yw cynyddu nifer y plant sy'n mynychu ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg. Gwn o brofiad personol, fel eraill yn y Siambr hon, pa mor anodd yw dysgu Cymraeg fel oedolyn. Byddai hyn yn golygu bod oddeutu traean o blant Cymru yn cael addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg—rhwng 30 a 33 y cant, yn ôl fy nghyfrif i. Os oes gan y Gweinidog gyfrif gwahanol, hoffwn wybod beth ydyw, ond dyna rwy'n ei gyfrif. Sut y bydd hyn yn cael ei gyflawni?
Ac a wnaiff y Gweinidog ymweld â dwy ysgol yn fy etholaeth rwy'n eu hadnabod yn dda—Ysgol Gymraeg Tan-y-Lan, lle mae fy wyresau'n mynd, ac Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe, yr arferai fy merch ei mynychu yn fy etholaeth, dwy ysgol sydd wedi tyfu'n sylweddol ers eu hagor?
Diolch yn fawr, Mike. I think it's really apposite that you've asked this question this afternoon when we are really moving ahead on this agenda. The fact is that, as a result of that announcement today, we're going to see almost 3,000 new places in Welsh schools, and that is the way I think we're going to start to reach this target that we've set out, which is an ambitious target. There are 16 local authorities who have gained money through this initiative, and I think the fact that we've also married this money up with money from my colleague's budget to do with childcare—. So, you need a pipeline—you need to see these children come through the system, and the earlier we can introduce them to Welsh language education the better, and that's why we've combined this money in order to move this agenda.
This morning, I've been to Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Torfaen, where they will now be opening a new Welsh language primary. I'm pleased to see that that will be happening. And there will be a new Welsh language primary also in Merthyr, which we're thrilled to see, but also in Monmouth. So, things are moving on in areas where we really want to see that initiative being taken, so we're very pleased with the direction of travel and the fact that local authorities really understand that we are serious about moving forward on this agenda.
Diolch yn fawr, Mike. Credaf ei bod yn addas iawn eich bod wedi gofyn y cwestiwn hwn y prynhawn yma pan ydym yn gwneud cynnydd gwirioneddol ar yr agenda hon. O ganlyniad i'r cyhoeddiad heddiw, byddwn yn gweld bron i 3,000 o leoedd newydd yn ysgolion Cymru, a dyna sut y credaf ein bod yn mynd i ddechrau cyrraedd y targed a osodwyd gennym, sy'n darged uchelgeisiol. Mae 16 o awdurdodau lleol wedi cael arian drwy'r fenter hon, a chredaf fod y ffaith ein bod hefyd wedi cyfuno'r arian hwn ag arian o gyllideb fy nghyd-Aelod sy'n ymwneud â gofal plant—. Felly, mae arnoch angen cyfrwng—mae angen ichi weld y plant hyn yn dod drwy'r system, a gorau po gyntaf y gallwn eu cyflwyno i addysg Gymraeg, a dyna pam rydym wedi cyfuno'r arian hwn er mwyn bwrw ymlaen â'r agenda hon.
Y bore yma, bûm yn Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw yn Nhorfaen, lle byddant yn awr yn agor ysgol gynradd Gymraeg newydd. Rwy'n falch o weld y bydd hynny'n digwydd. A bydd ysgol gynradd Gymraeg newydd ym Merthyr Tudful hefyd, ac rydym yn falch iawn o weld hynny, ond hefyd yn Nhrefynwy. Felly, mae pethau'n symud ymlaen mewn ardaloedd lle rydym yn wirioneddol awyddus i weld y camau hynny'n cael eu cymryd, felly rydym yn falch iawn gyda'r cyfeiriad teithio a'r ffaith bod awdurdodau lleol yn deall go iawn ein bod o ddifrif ynglŷn â bwrw ymlaen gyda'r agenda hon.
The 14-19 learning pathways—this is for you, Minister—that entitles young people in Wales, as you know, to study the subjects they want, even if it's not in their own school and they can go to a nearby school. However, the funding that previously went from Welsh Government to local authorities to enable that has been combined with other funding grants, which has made it difficult to follow the money. So, I'm hoping that today's very welcome announcement, which is also to be combined with other moneys, isn't going to be difficult to follow, and that we don't end up in a situation where this ends up in local authorities' general capital budgets. How can we be certain that the entitlement created in the 14-19 pathway is being observed in the Welsh-medium sector, where distance between schools can be pretty big? And, obviously, there are financial considerations as well. How will the announcement of this new capital help with the 14-19 pathways delivery? Thank you.
Mae Llwybrau Dysgu 14-19—mae hwn i chi, Weinidog—maent yn rhoi'r hawl i bobl ifanc yng Nghymru, fel y gwyddoch, i astudio'r pynciau y maent eisiau eu hastudio, hyd yn oed os nad yw hynny'n digwydd yn eu hysgol eu hunain a gallant fynd i ysgol gyfagos. Fodd bynnag, mae'r arian a oedd yn arfer mynd i awdurdodau lleol gan Lywodraeth Cymru i alluogi hynny wedi'i gyfuno â grantiau cyllid eraill, ac mae hynny wedi gwneud dilyn yr arian yn anodd. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio na fydd y cyhoeddiad calonogol iawn heddiw, a fydd hefyd yn cael ei gyfuno gydag arian arall, yn anodd ei ddilyn, ac na fyddwn yn cyrraedd sefyllfa lle bydd yn mynd i gyllidebau cyfalaf cyffredinol awdurdodau lleol. Sut y gallwn fod yn sicr fod yr hawl a grëwyd yn y llwybr 14-19 yn cael ei pharchu yn y sector cyfrwng Cymraeg, lle gall fod pellter eithaf sylweddol rhwng ysgolion? Ac yn amlwg, ceir ystyriaethau ariannol hefyd. Sut y bydd cyhoeddi'r cyfalaf newydd hwn yn cynorthwyo gyda darpariaeth y llwybrau 14-19? Diolch.
Well, just to be clear: this money is very, very clearly earmarked. It's ring-fenced. It is specifically for the growth of Welsh language education, so there's no question about it going into any general pots. This has been very, very clearly targeted. That learning pathway—we've made it clear that we want to see schools working together if they are not able to deliver that locally themselves, and that co-ordination we are helping to develop, in particular in rural areas now. We've got a new pilot we're going to start—[Inaudible.]—where we're starting to do a bit more distance learning. I think that is a very interesting development, particularly, that we're going to be piloting in the Ceredigion and Powys area.
Wel, er eglurder: mae'r arian hwn wedi'i glustnodi'n glir iawn. Mae wedi'i neilltuo. Mae'n arian penodol ar gyfer twf addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg, felly nid oes unrhyw bosibilrwydd y bydd yn mynd i mewn i unrhyw gronfeydd cyffredinol. Mae wedi'i dargedu yn glir iawn. Mae'r llwybr dysgu hwnnw—rydym wedi dweud yn glir ein bod yn awyddus i weld ysgolion yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd os nad ydynt yn gallu darparu hynny eu hunain yn lleol, ac rydym yn cynorthwyo i ddatblygu'r cydgysylltiad hwnnw yn awr, yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Mae gennym gynllun peilot newydd y byddwn yn ei ddechrau—[Anghlywadwy.]—lle rydym yn dechrau gwneud mwy o ddysgu o bell. Credaf fod hwnnw, yn arbennig, yn ddatblygiad diddorol iawn y byddwn yn ei dreialu yn ardal Ceredigion a Phowys.
6. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am y ddarpariaeth o gyfleusterau chwarae mewn ysgolion lleol? OAQ52581
6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the provision of play facilities in local schools? OAQ52581
Thank you, Janet. All children and young people should be able to access a wide choice of play provision in their local environment and community. The Welsh Government is working with local authorities to encourage schools to make their facilities available for wider community use and benefit.
Diolch, Janet. Dylai pob plentyn a phob person ifanc allu manteisio ar ddewis eang o ddarpariaeth chwarae yn eu hamgylchedd lleol a chymunedol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol i annog ysgolion i ddarparu eu cyfleusterau at ddefnydd a budd ehangach y gymuned.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. A number of constituents have approached me recently about a recently announced withdrawal of playground facilities at their own school, without any explanation from the local authority. Now, set this against a background of a 35 per cent real-terms cut in local government expenditure for play and recreational facilities, the £15,000—that's all—repair bill required to actually repair this play facility before autumn half term is unaffordable. Now, the Welsh Government's play policy 2002 states that
'Play is the elemental learning process'.
So, can you explain why school play facilities across Wales are being so lamentably underfunded? And how are you working with your partners in the Welsh Government, in their Cabinet positions, to ensure that money is provided to schools so that our children can literally go out and play?
Diolch, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Mae nifer o etholwyr wedi tynnu fy sylw yn ddiweddar at gyhoeddiad diweddar ynglŷn â chael gwared ar gyfleusterau chwarae yn eu hysgol, heb unrhyw esboniad gan yr awdurdod lleol. Nawr, o ystyried hyn ochr yn ochr â thoriad o 35 y cant mewn termau real i wariant llywodraeth leol ar gyfleusterau chwarae a hamdden, mae'r bil o £15,000—dyna i gyd—er mwyn atgyweirio'r cyfleuster chwarae hwn cyn hanner tymor yr hydref yn anfforddiadwy. Nawr, mae polisi chwarae Llywodraeth Cymru 2002 yn datgan mai
'Chwarae yw'r broses ddysgu sylfaenol.'
Felly, a allwch esbonio pam fod cyfleusterau chwarae ysgol ledled Cymru wedi'u tanariannu mor druenus? A sut rydych yn gweithio gyda'ch partneriaid yn Llywodraeth Cymru, yn eu swyddi Cabinet, i sicrhau y darperir arian i ysgolion fel y gall ein plant, yn llythrennol, fynd allan i chwarae?
If the Member was to write to me about the specifics of that particular school facility, then I will make some enquiries. It is a matter for the governing body to make decisions about access to those facilities outside of the school day, and to maintain the upkeep of those facilities, and rather than—. The Member paints a picture of these facilities being lost. I would remind her: in her own constituency, I opened the new Ysgol Awel y Mynydd school, which included landscaped school grounds, with a sports area and space for pupils to explore and learn in their natural habitat. I opened the refurbishment projects of Ysgol Sŵn y Don and Ysgol Nant y Groes, and that has meant that pupils of both schools have benefited from third generation multi-use games areas and improved areas. So, in her own constituency, she can see the effect of Welsh Government investment on the ground providing those important facilities, but I will make some enquiries about that specific case if the Member were to write to me.
Os gwnaiff yr Aelod ysgrifennu ataf ynglŷn â manylion y cyfleuster ysgol penodol hwnnw, fe wnaf ymholiadau. Mater ar gyfer y corff llywodraethu yw gwneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â mynediad at y cyfleusterau hynny y tu hwnt i'r diwrnod ysgol, a chynnal y cyfleusterau hynny, ac yn hytrach na—. Mae'r Aelod yn paentio darlun lle mae'r cyfleusterau hyn yn cael eu colli. Hoffwn ei hatgoffa: yn ei hetholaeth hi, agorais ysgol newydd, Ysgol Awel y Mynydd, a oedd yn cynnwys tir ysgol wedi'i dirlunio, gydag ardal chwaraeon a gofod i ddisgyblion archwilio ac i ddysgu yn eu cynefin naturiol. Agorais brosiectau adnewyddu Ysgol Sŵn y Don a Ysgol Nant y Groes, ac mae hynny wedi golygu bod disgyblion o'r ddwy ysgol wedi elwa o ardaloedd gemau aml-ddefnydd trydedd genhedlaeth ac ardaloedd wedi'u gwella. Felly, yn ei hetholaeth ei hun, gall weld effaith buddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru ar lawr gwlad yn darparu'r cyfleusterau pwysig hynny, ond fe wnaf ymholiadau am yr achos penodol hwnnw os gwnaiff yr Aelod ysgrifennu ataf.
I know the Cabinet Secretary for Education will agree that it's essential that we allow children of all abilities to enjoy the pleasure of play facilities, and we also know that disabled children have fewer opportunities certainly to take part in physical education and sports activities. So, what plans are there for play equipment in schools, or indeed any play equipment, to ensure that it is accessible for children with disabilities?
Gwn y bydd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg yn cytuno ei bod yn hanfodol ein bod yn caniatáu i blant o bob gallu fwynhau cyfleusterau chwarae, a gwyddom hefyd fod plant anabl yn cael llai o gyfleoedd, yn sicr i gymryd rhan mewn addysg gorfforol a gweithgareddau chwaraeon. Felly, pa gynlluniau sydd ar y gweill ar gyfer offer chwarae mewn ysgolion, neu'n wir unrhyw offer chwarae, er mwyn sicrhau bod modd i blant ag anableddau ei ddefnyddio?
Thank you, Julie. Whilst I don't have responsibility for play equipment in general, obviously we would want our schools to be inclusive schools and to have facilities that allowed all of their pupils to have full access to the opportunity for play and recreation, and indeed to be able to deliver the statutory part of the curriculum that means that physical education should be delivered to all pupils aged seven to 16. We want all pupils, regardless of their ability, to be able to access those opportunities, as it's a statutory part. But if the Member has concerns about any specifics, I would make the same offer as I have made to Janet Finch-Saunders: I'm happy to look into any instances where the Member feels that that is not actually happening.
Diolch, Julie. Er nad oes gennyf gyfrifoldeb am offer chwarae yn gyffredinol, yn amlwg, rydym am i'n hysgolion fod yn ysgolion cynhwysol a chael cyfleusterau sy'n caniatáu i bob un o'u disgyblion gael mynediad llawn at y cyfle i chwarae a chymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau hamdden, ac yn wir, i allu cyflawni rhan statudol y cwricwlwm sy'n golygu y dylid darparu addysg gorfforol i bob disgybl rhwng saith ac 16 oed. Rydym am i bob disgybl, waeth beth fo'u gallu, allu cael mynediad at y cyfleoedd hynny, gan fod hynny'n ofyniad statudol. Ond os oes gan yr Aelod bryderon ynglŷn ag unrhyw beth penodol, rwy'n cynnig yr un peth ag y gwneuthum i Janet Finch-Saunders: rwy'n fwy na pharod i ymchwilio i unrhyw achosion lle teimla'r Aelod nad yw hynny'n digwydd mewn gwirionedd.
7. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am gyfraddau cyflog ar gyfer athrawon cyflenwi? OAQ52591
7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on rates of pay for supply teachers? OAQ52591
Thank you, Hefin. School governing bodies and local authorities are responsible for employing, deploying and managing the school workforce. Supply teachers employed directly by schools and local authorities are paid in accordance with nationally agreed pay rates. Teachers employed by private supply agencies are paid according to the terms of their employment contract.
Diolch, Hefin. Cyrff llywodraethu ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol sy'n gyfrifol am gyflogi, defnyddio a rheoli gweithlu'r ysgol. Telir athrawon cyflenwi a gyflogir yn uniongyrchol gan ysgolion ac awdurdodau lleol yn unol â chyfraddau cyflog y cytunwyd arnynt yn genedlaethol. Telir athrawon a gyflogir gan asiantaethau cyflenwi preifat yn unol â thelerau eu contract cyflogaeth.
The Cabinet Secretary visited the Children, Young People and Education Committee on 28 June, and I asked her questions about supply teachers. One of the things she said in the committee was:
'Much of the focus recently has been about low pay for supply teachers. I was recently exposed to the argument about schools that are using supply teachers to cover some of our science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects, where those supply teachers are naming their price, and are talking about, on a basic level, £250 a day to go and teach physics.'
I asked her for the details, and she said:
'we don't necessarily have all that data.'
Well, I would say that I don't think there is significant data on this. The 2018 national education supply teachers survey found that the worst-paid areas were once again Wales and the south-west, with 87 per cent and 93 per cent of respondents respectively being paid less than £125 per day. Indeed, the survey said that three quarters of respondents from Wales receive a daily rate of less than £100. Can I ask her to commit to not using that £250 example again, because I think it doesn't give the full picture, and will she commit to getting a better deal for supply teachers?
Ymwelodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet â'r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar 28 Mehefin, a gofynnais gwestiynau iddi ynglŷn ag athrawon cyflenwi. Un o'r pethau a ddywedodd wrth y pwyllgor oedd:
Mae llawer o'r ffocws diweddar wedi bod ar gyflogau isel athrawon cyflenwi. Yn ddiweddar, tynnwyd fy sylw at ddadl ynghylch ysgolion sy'n defnyddio athrawon cyflenwi ar gyfer rhai o'n pynciau gwyddoniaeth, technoleg, peirianneg a mathemateg, lle mae'r athrawon cyflenwi hynny'n gosod eu pris, ac yn siarad, ar lefel sylfaenol, am oddeutu £250 y dydd i addysgu ffiseg.
Gofynnais iddi am y manylion, a dywedodd:
nid yw'r holl ddata gennym o reidrwydd.
Wel, buaswn yn dweud nad wyf yn credu bod yna ddata sylweddol i'w gael ar hyn. Canfu'r arolwg cenedlaethol o athrawon cyflenwi ar gyfer 2018 unwaith eto mai'r ardaloedd â'r cyflogau gwaethaf yw Cymru a de-orllewin Lloegr, gydag 87 y cant a 93 y cant o ymatebwyr yn y drefn honno yn cael llai na £125 o dâl y diwrnod. Yn wir, dywedodd yr arolwg fod tri chwarter yr ymatebwyr o Gymru yn cael cyfradd ddyddiol o lai na £100. A gaf fi ofyn iddi ymrwymo i beidio â defnyddio'r enghraifft honno o £250 eto, gan na chredaf ei fod yn rhoi'r darlun llawn, ac a wnaiff hi ymrwymo i sicrhau bargen well i athrawon cyflenwi?
I am very anxious that all teachers working in our system are treated fairly and paid appropriately. I am more than aware of the concerns that have been expressed around pay rates associated with those people who are employed by agencies. You will be aware, I hope, that we are working very closely with the MPS Education in preparation for any new tendering process that they will undertake in the spring of this year, so that the framework that they offer is fit for purpose and incorporates the principles endorsed by the code of practice on ethical employment in supply chains and fair work principles.
We are also looking to introduce mandatory quality assurance standards for supply agencies so that any commercial agency wishing to supply temporary teachers to maintained schools in Wales would need to meet certain requirements, and standards would support schools and supply teachers, I believe, and drive up quality of teaching and learning opportunities for students. So, we are examining a whole raft of ways in which we can ensure that all teachers who work in our schools on a part-time or on a supply basis are treated fairly and paid appropriately.
Rwy'n awyddus iawn i weld yr holl athrawon sy'n gweithio yn ein system yn cael eu trin yn deg ac yn cael eu talu'n briodol. Rwy'n fwy nag ymwybodol o'r pryderon a fynegwyd ynghylch y graddfeydd cyflog sy'n gysylltiedig â'r bobl a gyflogir gan asiantaethau. Fe fyddwch yn gwybod, rwy'n gobeithio, ein bod yn gweithio'n agos iawn gydag MPS Education i baratoi ar gyfer unrhyw broses dendro newydd y byddant yn cychwyn arni yn y gwanwyn eleni, er mwyn sicrhau bod y fframwaith y maent yn ei gynnig yn addas i'r diben ac yn ymgorffori'r egwyddorion a gymeradwyir yn y cod ymarfer ar gyflogaeth foesegol mewn cadwyni cyflenwi ac egwyddorion gwaith teg.
Rydym hefyd yn awyddus i gyflwyno safonau sicrwydd ansawdd gorfodol ar gyfer asiantaethau cyflenwi fel y byddai'n rhaid i unrhyw asiantaeth fasnachol sy'n dymuno cyflenwi athrawon dros dro i ysgolion a gynhelir yng Nghymru fodloni gofynion penodol, ac rwy'n credu y byddai safonau'n cefnogi ysgolion ac athrawon cyflenwi ac yn gwella ansawdd addysgu a chyfleoedd dysgu ar gyfer myfyrwyr. Felly, rydym yn archwilio llu o ffyrdd y gallwn sicrhau bod yr holl athrawon sy'n gweithio yn ein hysgolion ar sail ran amser neu ar sail cyflenwi yn cael eu trin yn deg ac yn cael eu talu'n briodol.
Thank you, madam Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, campaigners claim that supply teachers in Wales are having to take an extra job to make ends meet, and many are considering leaving the profession altogether. They claim the employment of supply teachers through agencies has led to lower pay and poorer terms and conditions. The Welsh Government has set up an independent taskforce to make recommendations in this regard. Will the Cabinet Secretary advise this Assembly now when she will be in a position to make a proposal based on the taskforce recommendations, please?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae ymgyrchwyr yn honni bod athrawon cyflenwi yng Nghymru yn gorfod cymryd swyddi ychwanegol i gadw deupen llinyn ynghyd, ac mae llawer yn ystyried gadael y proffesiwn yn gyfan gwbl. Maent yn honni bod yr arfer o gyflogi athrawon cyflenwi drwy asiantaethau wedi arwain at gyflogau is a thelerau ac amodau gwaeth. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi sefydlu tasglu annibynnol i wneud argymhellion yn hyn o beth. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi gwybod i'r Cynulliad hwn yn awr pryd y bydd hi mewn sefyllfa i wneud cynnig yn seiliedig ar argymhellion y tasglu, os gwelwch yn dda?
Not only is that taskforce engaging with the Fair Deal for Supply Teachers group, officials are also meeting with that group of teachers who are campaigning on this issue. As I said to Hefin David, we are looking at a range of options that will address the concerns that the Member has expressed.
Nid yn unig fod y tasglu hwnnw'n ymgysylltu â grŵp Bargen Deg i Athrawon Cyflenwi, ond mae swyddogion hefyd yn cyfarfod â'r grŵp hwnnw o athrawon sy'n ymgyrchu ar y mater hwn. Fel y dywedais wrth Hefin David, rydym yn edrych ar amrywiaeth o opsiynau a fydd yn mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon a fynegwyd gan yr Aelod.
Trosglwyddwyd cwestiwn 8 [OAQ52602] i'w ateb yn ysgrifenedig gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol.
Question 8 [OAQ52602] transferred for written answer by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services.
9. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n ei wneud i hyrwyddo lles emosiynol mewn ysgolion? OAQ52601
9. What is the Welsh Government doing to promote emotional well-being in schools? OAQ52601
Thank you, Jayne. We are committed to a step change when it comes to mental and emotional well-being in schools, and to achieve this we are convening a ministerial task and finish group, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services and myself, to consider a whole-school approach.
Diolch, Jayne. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i gyflawni newid sylweddol mewn perthynas â lles meddyliol ac emosiynol mewn ysgolion, ac i gyflawni hyn rydym yn cynnull grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen gweinidogol, dan gadeiryddiaeth Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a minnau, i ystyried ymagwedd ysgol gyfan.
Emotional well-being, resilience and early intervention must be a national priority and I welcome the recent announcement of a whole-school approach, the need for which was highlighted in the Children, Young People and Education Committee's excellent 'Mind over Matter' report. The committee received evidence from the Samaritans, who've created DEAL—a developing emotional awareness and listening tool for teachers. It will be essential that emotional and mental health awareness is included in initial teacher training qualifications. Can the Cabinet Secretary confirm that the new task and finish group will speak to teachers who use the DEAL tool to see what can be learnt from their experiences?
Mae'n rhaid i les emosiynol, gwytnwch ac ymyrraeth gynnar fod yn flaenoriaeth genedlaethol a chroesawaf y cyhoeddiad diweddar parthed ymagwedd ysgol gyfan, a thynnwyd sylw at yr angen am hynny yn adroddiad gwych y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, 'Cadernid Meddwl'. Derbyniodd y pwyllgor dystiolaeth gan y Samariaid, sydd wedi creu DEAL—offeryn datblygu ymwybyddiaeth emosiynol a gwrando ar gyfer athrawon. Bydd hi'n hanfodol cynnwys ymwybyddiaeth o iechyd meddwl ac emosiynol yng nghymwysterau hyfforddiant cychwynnol athrawon. A all Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gadarnhau y bydd y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen newydd yn siarad gydag athrawon sy'n defnyddio'r offeryn DEAL i weld beth y gellir ei ddysgu o'u profiadau?
I thank Jayne for her welcome for the establishment of the task and finish group. Work has already begun. A multi-agency and multiprofession workshop took place on 7 September to explore what a whole-school approach could involve, and to highlight where in current support there are gaps at present. The findings from the workshop will further inform the work of the task and finish group, and I would expect the task and finish group to want to take advice and evidence from a wide range of stakeholders who will have something to say on this important agenda.
'Our national mission' places the well-being of the child at the heart of our education system, and central to this will be new and inclusive school accountability arrangements that are being put in place that acknowledge not only the academic achievements of the school, but also the importance of the learner's health and well-being.
Diolch i Jayne am groesawu sefydlu'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen. Mae'r gwaith yn mynd rhagddo eisoes. Cynhaliwyd gweithdy amlasiantaethol ac amlbroffesiwn ar 7 Medi i archwilio beth y gallai ymagwedd ysgol gyfan ei gynnwys, ac i amlygu lle ceir bylchau yn y cymorth presennol. Bydd canfyddiadau'r gweithdy yn llywio gwaith y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen ymhellach, a buaswn yn disgwyl i'r grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen fod yn awyddus i dderbyn cyngor a thystiolaeth gan amrywiaeth eang o randdeiliaid a fydd â rhywbeth i'w ddweud am yr agenda bwysig hon.
Mae 'cenhadaeth ein cenedl' yn gosod lles y plentyn wrth wraidd ein system addysg, ac yn ganolog i hyn, bydd trefniadau atebolrwydd ysgolion newydd a chynhwysol yn cael eu rhoi ar waith, a byddant yn cydnabod nid yn unig cyflawniadau academaidd yr ysgol, ond pwysigrwydd iechyd a lles y dysgwr hefyd.
May I ask the Cabinet Secretary about the work of the task and finish group? What progress is being made to ensure that when people in school, often counsellors, make referrals of particular children to child and adolescent mental health services that those referrals are properly taken back, and are not, as some of the evidence we found as the Children, Young People and Education Committee, being referred back as if the counsellor was not an appropriate person to make that referral?
A gaf fi holi Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ynglŷn â gwaith y grŵp gorchwyl a gorffen? Pa gynnydd sy'n cael ei wneud i sicrhau, pan fydd pobl yn yr ysgol, a chwnselwyr yn aml, yn atgyfeirio plant penodol at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed, fod yr atgyfeiriadau hynny'n cael eu cymryd yn ôl yn briodol, ac nad ydynt, fel y dengys peth o'r dystiolaeth a gawsom fel Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg, yn cael eu hatgyfeirio'n ôl fel pe na bai'r cwnselydd yn unigolyn addas i wneud yr atgyfeiriad hwnnw?
Mark, the announcement of the group has only recently been made. As I said, the work of that group was kicked off by the multi-agency and multiprofession workshop, because before we can design a service that represents a whole-school approach we need to have an agreement on what the whole-school approach actually looks like, so that we're all working towards the same agenda. We work across portfolio, and officials that worked on the 'Together for Children and Young People' plan are constantly looking at barriers to accessing more intensive and higher level CAMHS services for children, because if a counsellor has seen that child, has a relationship with that child, and feels that more intensive therapy and support is available, then that's almost like a triage system that should ensure a swift referral and a response from CAMHS. We will continue to remove those barriers, if schools counsellors are facing them, so that process can be as quick as it needs to be for that individual child.
Mark, dim ond yn ddiweddar y cyhoeddwyd bod y grŵp wedi'i sefydlu. Fel y dywedais, cychwynnwyd gwaith y grŵp gan y gweithdy amlasiantaethol ac amlbroffesiwn, oherwydd cyn y gallwn lunio gwasanaeth sy'n cynrychioli ymagwedd ysgol gyfan, mae angen inni gytuno ar sut y dylai ymagwedd ysgol gyfan edrych, er mwyn sicrhau bod pob un ohonom yn gweithio tuag at yr un agenda. Rydym yn gweithio ar draws portffolios, ac mae swyddogion a fu'n gweithio ar y cynllun 'Law yn Llaw at Blant a Phobl Ifanc' yn edrych yn barhaus ar rwystrau rhag cael mynediad at wasanaethau CAMHS mwy dwys ar lefel uwch i blant, oherwydd os oes cwnselydd wedi gweld y plentyn, ac os oes ganddynt berthynas gyda'r plentyn, a'u bod yn teimlo bod therapi a chymorth mwy dwys ar gael, mae hynny bron â bod fel system frysbennu a ddylai sicrhau atgyfeirio ac ymateb cyflym gan CAMHS. Byddwn yn parhau i gael gwared ar y rhwystrau, os yw cwnselwyr ysgolion yn eu hwynebu, fel y gall y broses fod mor gyflym ag sydd angen iddi fod ar gyfer y plentyn unigol.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiynau i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, ac mae'r cwestiwn cyntaf gan Mohammad Asghar.
The next item is questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, and the first question is from Mohammad Asghar.
1. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i wella gwasanaethau i oroeswyr strôc yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru? OAQ52582
1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve services for stroke survivors in south-east Wales? OAQ52582
Thank you for the question. Our stroke delivery plan provides a framework for action by health boards and trusts, working with their partners. It sets out the expectations of all stakeholders to prevent, diagnose and treat stroke in people of all ages and to ensure they can return to independence as quickly as possible.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Mae ein cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer strôc yn darparu fframwaith ar gyfer gweithredu gan fyrddau ac ymddiriedolaethau iechyd, gan weithio gyda'u partneriaid. Mae'n nodi disgwyliadau'r holl randdeiliaid o ran atal, gwneud diagnosis a thrin strôc mewn pobl o bob oed ac i sicrhau y gallant ddychwelyd i fyw'n annibynnol cyn gynted â phosibl.
Thank you for the answer, Cabinet Secretary. The Stroke Association currently provides a stroke recovery service to stroke survivors across the Aneurin Bevan health board area with the exception of Newport, after the local authority cut funding for the service at the end of 2015. Caerphilly council cut funding for the service earlier this year, with the health board paying the authority's contribution for this financial year only. However, there is a lack of clarity over funding for the next year and beyond. If funding for the service is cut further, then there is a risk that the other areas within the health board will also miss out on this vital service or the service could cease altogether.
Will you commit to work with Aneurin Bevan health board and the local authorities in the region to ensure that adequate funding is available for the stroke recovery service in the area, so that all parts of health boards have equal access to this vital support in south-east Wales, please?
Diolch am eich ateb, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'r Gymdeithas Strôc yn darparu gwasanaeth adfer strôc i oroeswyr strôc ledled ardal bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan ac eithrio Casnewydd, wedi i'r awdurdod lleol dorri'r cyllid ar gyfer y gwasanaeth ar ddiwedd 2015. Torrodd gyngor Caerffili y cyllid ar gyfer y gwasanaeth yn gynharach eleni, gyda'r bwrdd iechyd yn talu cyfraniad yr awdurdod ar gyfer y flwyddyn ariannol hon yn unig. Fodd bynnag, ceir diffyg eglurder ynghylch y cyllid ar gyfer y flwyddyn nesaf a thu hwnt. Os torrir yr arian ar gyfer y gwasanaeth ymhellach, mae perygl y bydd yr ardaloedd eraill o fewn y bwrdd iechyd hefyd yn colli allan ar y gwasanaeth hanfodol hwn, neu gallai'r gwasanaeth ddod i ben yn gyfan gwbl.
A wnewch chi ymrwymo i weithio gyda bwrdd iechyd Aneurin Bevan a'r awdurdodau lleol yn y rhanbarth i sicrhau bod cyllid digonol ar gael ar gyfer y gwasanaeth adfer strôc yn yr ardal, er mwyn sicrhau bod gan bob rhan o'r byrddau iechyd fynediad cyfartal at y cymorth hanfodol hwn yn ne-ddwyrain Cymru, os gwelwch yn dda?
Thank you for the question. It does highlight some of the challenges we face in trying to generate both integration and joint services between health and local government partners together with the third sector, but also some of the undeniable challenges we face with continued reductions in public funding.
The good news is, of course, that overall, we're seeing stroke survival rates increase. In Aneurin Bevan, for example, over the last 10 years, we've seen for those people who are 75 years and over a 15 per cent rise in survivorship. That's good news, but the challenge of how we work together across those areas is actually being developed together, between those partners.
I'm optimistic about Aneurin Bevan's ability to do more. They've actually reconfigured their stroke services across the health board area. That's a move supported by the Stroke Association, and that should be helping them provide earlier rehabilitation support as well. It's a matter that I continue to take an interest in and, indeed, discussions around the regional partnership board as well about how they will work together as partners.
I'll look again at the funding issues that he raises, but, as I say, these are about local authorities making their choices as well.FootnoteLink I'm not in a position to direct them about the use of their budgets, but I do think we can have broader agreement between partners on how to provide the right services for citizens regardless of whether that's health or local government.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Mae'n amlygu rhai o'r heriau a wynebwn wrth geisio sicrhau integreiddiad a chydwasanaethau rhwng iechyd a phartneriaid llywodraeth leol ynghyd â'r trydydd sector, yn ogystal â rhai o'r heriau diymwad a wynebwn yn sgil y gostyngiadau parhaus mewn arian cyhoeddus.
Y newyddion da, wrth gwrs, yw ein bod, yn gyffredinol, yn gweld cyfraddau goroesi strôc ar gynnydd. Yn Aneurin Bevan, er enghraifft, dros y 10 mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld cynnydd o 15 y cant yn y cyfraddau goroesi ymhlith pobl sy'n 75 oed a hŷn. Mae hynny'n newyddion da, ond mae'r her o ran sut y gweithiwn gyda'n gilydd ar draws y meysydd hynny yn cael ei datblygu gyda'n gilydd, mewn gwirionedd, rhwng y partneriaid hynny.
Rwy'n optimistaidd ynghylch gallu Aneurin Bevan i wneud mwy. Mewn gwirionedd, maent wedi ad-drefnu eu gwasanaethau strôc ar draws ardal y bwrdd iechyd. Mae hynny'n gam a gefnogir gan y Gymdeithas Strôc, a dylai hynny eu cynorthwyo i ddarparu cymorth adsefydlu cynharach hefyd. Mae'n fater rwy'n parhau i fod â diddordeb ynddo, yn ogystal â thrafodaethau ynghylch y bwrdd partneriaeth rhanbarthol yn wir o ran sut y byddant yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd fel partneriaid.
Byddaf yn edrych eto ar y materion ariannu y mae'n eu codi, ond fel y dywedaf, mae a wnelo'r rhain ag awdurdodau lleol yn gwneud eu dewisiadau hefyd.FootnoteLink Nid wyf mewn sefyllfa i'w cyfarwyddo ynghylch defnyddio'u cyllidebau, ond credaf y gallwn sicrhau cytundeb ehangach rhwng partneriaid ynglŷn â sut i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau priodol ar gyfer dinasyddion, boed yn wasanaethau iechyd neu wasanaethau llywodraeth leol.
Cabinet Secretary, throughout the summer recess I've been taking a close look at local healthcare services in my own constituency, and can I say that I appreciated you taking some time out to come up to Merthyr and join me in one of those discussion sessions? In this and other work that I do, I continue to be so impressed by the work of the professions allied to medicine and their key role in rehabilitation and preventative healthcare. So, would you agree that, as we talk about shaping the future off our health services, it's not just about innovation or even necessarily about more money, but it is about strengthening the best practice, such as the early discharge and rehabilitation after a stroke, which is supported by allied health professionals as an effective and cost-efficient way of improving those services?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, drwy gydol toriad yr haf, rwyf wedi bod yn edrych yn fanwl ar wasanaethau gofal iechyd lleol yn fy etholaeth, ac a gaf fi ddweud fy mod yn gwerthfawrogi'r ffaith eich bod wedi rhoi eich amser i ddod i Ferthyr Tudful i ymuno â mi yn un o'r sesiynau trafod hynny? Yn hyn o beth ac yn y gwaith arall a wnaf, rwy'n parhau i edmygu gwaith y proffesiynau perthynol i feddygaeth a'u rôl allweddol ym maes gofal iechyd ataliol ac adsefydlu. Felly, a fyddech yn cytuno, wrth inni sôn am lunio dyfodol ein gwasanaethau iechyd, nad oes a wnelo hyn ag arloesi yn unig, neu hyd yn oed â rhagor o arian o reidrwydd, ond ei fod yn ymwneud â chryfhau arferion gorau, megis rhyddhau cleifion yn gynnar ac adsefydlu ar ôl strôc, a gefnogir gan weithwyr proffesiynol perthynol i iechyd fel ffordd effeithiol a chosteffeithiol o wella'r gwasanaethau hynny?
Yes, you're right to point out the role of allied health professionals and frequently in our debates about health in this place, we talk about doctors, and maybe nurses, and we ignore lots of the other healthcare professionals who are important in making the whole system work. And in this area, early rehabilitation, it is that earlier access to a range of different therapists that makes the biggest difference to getting people back into their own homes and the earliest possible recovery. And actually, Aneurin Bevan have a good record in this area of the improvement they've made.
The latest audit report suggests that they have twice the average of the audit of those people when they have completed their six-month follow-up. So, not just getting people out and mobilised early and back into their own homes, but the follow-up plan for after they've returned to their own homes too. And we have about 70 per cent compliance with the timescale to have their rehab goals agreed within five days, and that's much better than a range of other units across the UK. So, this is a health board that is looking forward, is looking at further improvements being made and is absolutely, as you made the point, thinking about those other allied health professionals and their crucial role in having effective recovery and rehabilitation.
Ydych, rydych yn iawn i dynnu sylw at rôl gweithwyr proffesiynol perthynol i iechyd, ac yn aml yn ein dadleuon am iechyd yn y lle hwn, rydym yn sôn am feddygon, ac efallai nyrsys, ac rydym yn anwybyddu llawer o'r gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol eraill sy'n bwysig er mwyn sicrhau bod y system gyfan yn gweithio. Ac yn y maes hwn, adsefydlu cynnar, y mynediad cynharach at amrywiaeth o therapyddion gwahanol sy'n gwneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf i sicrhau bod pobl yn dychwelyd i'w cartrefi eu hunain ac yn gwella cyn gynted â phosibl. Ac mewn gwirionedd, mae gan Aneurin Bevan record dda yn y maes hwn o ran y gwelliant y maent wedi'i wneud.
Awgryma adroddiad diweddaraf yr archwilwyr fod ganddynt ddwywaith cyfartaledd archwilio'r bobl hynny pan fyddant wedi cwblhau eu hapwyntiad dilynol ar ôl chwe mis. Felly, nid yn unig sicrhau bod pobl yn mynd allan ac yn symud o gwmpas yn fuan ac yn ôl i'w cartrefi eu hunain, ond y cynllun dilynol wedi iddynt ddychwelyd i'w cartrefi eu hunain hefyd. Ac mae gennym gyfradd gydymffurfio o oddeutu 70 y cant gyda'r amserlen i gytuno ar eu nodau adsefydlu o fewn pum niwrnod, ac mae hynny'n llawer gwell nag amryw o unedau eraill ledled y DU. Felly, mae hwn yn fwrdd iechyd sy'n edrych tua'r dyfodol, sy'n edrych ar wneud gwelliannau pellach ac sy'n sicr, fel y dywedoch, yn meddwl am y gweithwyr proffesiynol perthynol i iechyd eraill hynny a'u rôl hanfodol yn sicrhau prosesau adfer ac adsefydlu effeithiol.
2. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ddatganiad am argaeledd gwelyau yn y GIG yng Nghymru? OAQ52594
2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the availability of beds within the Welsh NHS? OAQ52594
Thank you for the question in your new role on the back benches, figuratively at least. I expect all health boards to plan and provide services that meet the needs of their people. This includes the provision of sufficient numbers of beds in different settings across our healthcare system to meet local and national expected demand. That, of course, must take into account the fluctuations in demand that occur throughout the year.
Diolch am y cwestiwn yn eich rôl newydd ar y meinciau cefn, yn ffigurol o leiaf. Rwy'n disgwyl i bob bwrdd iechyd gynllunio a darparu gwasanaethau sy'n diwallu anghenion eu pobl. Mae hyn yn cynnwys darparu niferoedd digonol o welyau mewn gwahanol leoliadau ar draws ein system gofal iechyd i fodloni'r galw lleol a chenedlaethol disgwyliedig. Mae'n rhaid i hynny, wrth gwrs, ystyried yr amrywiadau yn y galw sy'n digwydd drwy gydol y flwyddyn.
Thank you for your good wishes—I'll take it as a backhanded compliment, Cabinet Secretary. [Laughter.] Cabinet Secretary, we know full well that one of the big issues that arrive in the winter pressure months in particular is access to beds within the Welsh NHS. I'm sure, through the summer recess, you and your officials have been working with health boards the length and breadth of Wales over winter preparedness plans. What confidence can you give people working within the Welsh NHS, and the people of Wales, that you have addressed the crisis in bed availability that exists in some health boards across Wales, so that we will have some respite from some of the backlog that happens in accident and emergency departments because people cannot progress through the hospital through lack of beds within district general hospitals across Wales?
Diolch am eich dymuniadau da—fe'u cymeraf fel canmoliaeth ddeufiniog, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. [Chwerthin.] Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, gwyddom yn iawn mai un o'r problemau mawr sy'n ein hwynebu yn ystod misoedd anodd y gaeaf, yn arbennig, yw mynediad at welyau yn GIG Cymru. Rwy'n siŵr, drwy doriad yr haf, eich bod chi a'ch swyddogion wedi bod yn gweithio gyda byrddau iechyd ledled Cymru ar gynlluniau paratoi ar gyfer y gaeaf. Pa hyder y gallwch ei roi i bobl sy'n gweithio yn GIG Cymru, ac i bobl Cymru, eich bod wedi mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng o ran argaeledd gwelyau a geir mewn rhai byrddau iechyd ledled Cymru, fel y gallwn gael rhywfaint o ddiogelwch rhag peth o'r ôl-gronni sy'n digwydd mewn adrannau damweiniau ac achosion brys gan na all bobl symud drwy'r ysbyty oherwydd diffyg gwelyau mewn ysbytai cyffredinol dosbarth ledled Cymru?
I thank you for that question. I really do wish you well in your new role in the Chamber. I expect to see you on many occasions in these questions, no doubt.
When you actually look at our bed numbers, last year we had over 400 additional beds throughout the whole system created to deal with winter pressure. So, that's essentially the size of a reasonably sized district general hospital of extra capacity within our system.
We do find even more acute pressure in the winter, as we regularly rehearse, and I'm sure we'll have opportunities to do so in the coming months. That is not just about beds within the hospital part of this; it's actually about getting people into supported social care to get them out of the hospitals. The flow is our biggest problem.
So, in that sense that isn't just about capacity; that's about how we manage demand and manage flows throughout our whole system. That is work that is being done in planning for this winter, with the Government working together with health boards, trusts and partners to try to make sure that we have the best possible response to the extraordinary demands we know our system faces in the winter.
We do still, though, have a higher proportion of beds for the population within Wales compared to England. We still look again at both bed numbers and bed occupancy, and, crucially, at how those numbers are used to make the whole system work and, in particular, the join between health and the social care system.
Diolch am eich cwestiwn. Rwyf o ddifrif yn dymuno'n dda ichi yn eich rôl newydd yn y Siambr. Rwy'n disgwyl eich gweld ar sawl achlysur yn ystod y cwestiynau hyn, heb os.
Pan edrychwch ar niferoedd ein gwelyau, y llynedd roedd gennym dros 400 o welyau ychwanegol drwy'r system gyfan ar gyfer ymateb i bwysau'r gaeaf. Felly, mae hynny'n cyfateb i ysbyty cyffredinol dosbarth o faint rhesymol o ran capasiti ychwanegol yn ein system.
Rydym yn wynebu pwysau hyd yn oed yn fwy difrifol yn y gaeaf, fel y dywedwn yn rheolaidd, ac rwy'n siŵr y cawn gyfleoedd i wneud hynny dros y misoedd nesaf. Nid oes a wnelo hynny'n unig â'r rhan o hyn sy'n ymwneud â gwelyau yn yr ysbyty; mae'n ymwneud â sicrhau bod pobl yn mynd i ofal cymdeithasol a gefnogir er mwyn eu cael allan o'r ysbytai. Y llif yw ein problem fwyaf.
Felly, yn yr ystyr honno, nid oes a wnelo hynny â chapasiti yn unig; mae'n ymwneud â sut y rheolwn y galw a'r llif drwy ein system gyfan. Mae hwnnw'n waith sy'n mynd rhagddo wrth gynllunio ar gyfer y gaeaf hwn, gyda'r Llywodraeth yn cydweithio â'r byrddau iechyd, yr ymddiriedolaethau a phartneriaid i geisio sicrhau bod gennym yr ymateb gorau posibl i'r gofynion anarferol y gwyddom eu bod yn wynebu ein system yn y gaeaf.
Fodd bynnag, mae gennym gyfran uwch o welyau ar gyfer y boblogaeth yng Nghymru o gymharu â Lloegr. Rydym yn parhau i edrych eto ar niferoedd a defnydd gwelyau, ac yn hollbwysig, ar sut y defnyddir y niferoedd i sicrhau bod y system gyfan yn gweithio, ac yn arbennig, y cysylltiad rhwng iechyd a'r system gofal cymdeithasol.
Following a campaign and a subsequent post on social media, I received numerous distressing e-mails from women who have suffered as a result of inadequate provision of support and suitable hospital beds for women experiencing miscarriage. One woman told me a harrowing story of being admitted to a hospital with a suspected miscarriage, only to be placed on a ward next to the labour unit. During the evening, in extreme pain, she was forced to see one of a pair of miscarried twins on the floor of a toilet. She described this as 'the most horrific, heart-breaking episode of my life', as I'm sure we can all imagine.
Yesterday, the campaign group, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales, published their report with recommendations for improving miscarriage care. These include ensuring that early pregnancy units provide support services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, improved emotional support and establishing recurrent pregnancy-loss clinics. Will you commit, Cabinet Secretary, to working with the campaigners on this important issue and to implement the recommendations in that report?
Yn dilyn ymgyrch a chynnwys dilynol ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol, cefais nifer o negeseuon e-bost trallodus gan fenywod sydd wedi dioddef o ganlyniad i ddarpariaeth annigonol o gymorth a gwelyau ysbyty addas ar gyfer menywod sy'n dioddef camesgoriad. Dywedodd un fenyw stori dorcalonnus wrthyf am gael ei derbyn i'r ysbyty pan dybiwyd ei bod wedi cael camesgoriad, ac fe'i rhoddwyd mewn ward wrth ymyl yr uned esgor. Yn ystod y nos, mewn poen eithafol, bu'n rhaid iddi weld un o bâr o efeilliaid a gamesgorwyd ar lawr y toiled. Disgrifiodd hyn fel 'y digwyddiad mwyaf erchyll a thorcalonnus yn fy mywyd', fel rwy'n siŵr y gall pob un ohonom ddychmygu.
Ddoe, cyhoeddodd y grŵp ymgyrchu, Triniaeth Deg ar gyfer Menywod Cymru, eu hadroddiad gydag argymhellion ar gyfer gwella gofal camesgor. Maent yn cynnwys sicrhau bod unedau beichiogrwydd cynnar yn darparu gwasanaethau cymorth yn unol â chanllawiau'r Sefydliad Cenedlaethol dros Ragoriaeth mewn Iechyd a Gofal, gwell cymorth emosiynol a sefydlu clinigau colli beichiogrwydd sy'n digwydd dro ar ôl tro. A wnewch chi ymrwymo, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, i weithio gyda'r ymgyrchwyr ar y mater pwysig hwn ac i roi argymhellion yr adroddiad hwnnw ar waith?
I recognise the distressing picture that you paint, which spells out people's real experience within our system. We regularly talk about when healthcare goes right—as we should do to celebrate that, as we have done this year—but we recognise that when healthcare goes wrong it can have a significant and continuing impact on people's general health and well-being.
I'll be more than happy to make sure that my officials, including, if it would be appropriate, the chief nurse's department, I think, have a look at the report to see what constructive progress we can make in having a conversation with the campaigners about the current state of affairs within the NHS, and, in particular, about how we make further improvements.
Rwy'n cydnabod y darlun torcalonnus a ddisgrifiwyd gennych, sy'n amlygu profiad go iawn pobl yn ein system. Rydym yn siarad yn rheolaidd ynglŷn â phan fydd gofal iechyd yn mynd yn iawn—fel y dylem ei wneud i ddathlu hynny, fel rydym wedi'i wneud eleni—ond rydym yn cydnabod, pan fydd gofal iechyd yn mynd o'i le, y gall gael effaith sylweddol a pharhaus ar iechyd a lles cyffredinol pobl.
Rwy'n fwy na pharod i sicrhau bod fy swyddogion, gan gynnwys, os yw'n briodol, adran y brif nyrs, rwy'n credu, yn edrych ar yr adroddiad i weld pa gynnydd adeiladol y gallwn ei wneud i gael trafodaeth gyda'r ymgyrchwyr ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa ar hyn o bryd yn y GIG, ac yn benodol, ynglŷn â sut y mae sicrhau gwelliannau pellach.
Cabinet Secretary, we all understand that the availability of beds is critical, particularly with winter pressures, and Andrew R.T. Davies has highlighted that very much. In May, my local health board undertook a consultation on what it called service changes, but what, in fact, were bed closures. They recommended that 79 temporarily closed beds would be permanently closed and another 46 would be closed. As a result of my objections, and others objecting to some of that, we had a watered-down version, but I still worry very much that that watered-down version will result in that total of 125 beds being closed.
I ask the question: why aren't you looking at relocating those beds to other services, because there is demand elsewhere? The reason they're closing them is that they say they've improved services—they're getting people through the hospital faster, therefore the beds become less used as people move on. But, there are many other areas in hospitals where beds are being waited for. Will you now go to health boards and say to them, before they close any further beds, they must look at the service provision across their services to see if they can relocate those beds to other clinical needs to ensure that people don't have to wait for a hip operation or other purposes because there isn't a bed for them?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, mae pob un ohonom yn deall bod argaeledd gwelyau yn hollbwysig, yn enwedig gyda phwysau'r gaeaf, ac mae Andrew R.T. Davies wedi tynnu sylw at hynny. Ym mis Mai, cynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad gan fy mwrdd iechyd lleol ar yr hyn a alwai'n newidiadau i'r gwasanaeth, ond a oedd yn golygu cael gwared ar welyau mewn gwirionedd. Roeddent yn argymell y dylid cael gwared ar dros 79 o welyau na châi eu defnyddio dros dro yn barhaol, ac y dylid cael gwared ar 46 gwely arall. O ganlyniad i fy ngwrthwynebiad, a gwrthwynebiad eraill i hynny, cawsom fersiwn wannach, ond rwy'n dal i bryderu'n fawr y bydd y fersiwn wannach yn arwain at gael gwared ar 125 o welyau.
Rwy'n gofyn y cwestiwn: pam nad ydych yn ystyried adleoli'r gwelyau hynny i wasanaethau eraill, gan fod galw mewn mannau eraill? Y rheswm pam eu bod yn cael gwared arnynt yw am eu bod yn dweud eu bod wedi gwella gwasanaethau—maent yn symud pobl drwy'r ysbyty yn gyflymach, ac felly mae'r gwelyau'n cael llai o ddefnydd wrth i bobl symud ymlaen. Ond ceir llawer o fannau eraill mewn ysbytai lle mae pobl yn aros am welyau. A wnewch chi fynd at y byrddau iechyd a dweud wrthynt, cyn iddynt gael gwared ar ragor o welyau, fod yn rhaid iddynt ystyried darpariaeth y gwasanaeth ar draws eu gwasanaethau i weld a allant adleoli'r gwelyau i anghenion clinigol eraill er mwyn sicrhau nad oes yn rhaid i bobl aros am lawdriniaeth ar eu clun neu rywbeth arall am nad oes gwely ar eu cyfer?
I recognise the point you're making, and we've had several discussions outside the Chamber about issues in ABMU and I know you've been engaged directly with the health board. In terms of the health boards discharging their responsibilities on this issue, they of course need to have a plan about the appropriate number of beds in the appropriate part of the system and the staff to go with them. And, here, the health board said that they had improved services so they didn't need beds in one part of the system so they could appropriately treat and look after people throughout the wider health and care system. I actually think that the biggest limiting step in actually having bed numbers in different parts of our service is about actually having the appropriate staff to deliver the services in them. But I'm clear about the processes the health boards must go through about needing to have evidence of the impact and the benefit to be delivered by changing bed numbers and what that means in terms of the staff and the service provision and, crucially, of course, the quality of care that people are provided. We have lots of good examples in 'A Healthier Wales' of where we do need to see a shift in our system to move people out of hospital care more quickly. That means different capacity within social care as well. So, I will look again at the experience of ABMU, and I'm sure you'll take the opportunity to talk to me about it as well to make sure they do get this right in the future as well.
Rwy'n cydnabod y pwynt rydych yn ei wneud, ac rydym wedi cael nifer o drafodaethau y tu allan i'r Siambr ynghylch materion ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe Bro Morgannwg a gwn eich bod wedi ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol â'r bwrdd iechyd. O ran y byrddau iechyd yn cyflawni eu cyfrifoldebau ar y mater hwn, mae angen iddynt sicrhau wrth gwrs fod ganddynt gynllun mewn perthynas â'r nifer briodol o welyau yn y rhan briodol o'r system a'r staff i fynd gyda hwy. Ac yma, mae'r bwrdd iechyd wedi dweud eu bod wedi gwella gwasanaethau fel nad oes angen gwelyau mewn un rhan o'r system, fel y gallent drin ac edrych ar ôl pobl drwy'r system iechyd a gofal ehangach. Mewn gwirionedd, credaf mai'r cam mwyaf cyfyngol o ran cael gwelyau mewn gwahanol rannau o'n gwasanaeth yw cael y staff priodol i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau sydd ynddynt. Ond rwy'n glir ynglŷn â'r prosesau sy'n rhaid i'r byrddau iechyd eu dilyn mewn perthynas â'r angen i gael tystiolaeth o'r effaith a manteision newid niferoedd gwelyau a'r hyn y mae hynny'n ei olygu o ran y staff a darpariaeth y gwasanaeth, ac yn allweddol, wrth gwrs, ansawdd y gofal sy'n cael ei ddarparu i bobl. Mae gennym lawer o enghreifftiau da yn 'Cymru Iachach' o ble mae angen inni weld newid yn ein system er mwyn symud pobl o ofal ysbyty yn gynt. Mae hynny'n golygu capasiti gwahanol o fewn gofal cymdeithasol yn ogystal. Felly, fe edrychaf eto ar brofiad Prifysgol Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddwch yn manteisio ar y cyfle i siarad â mi am y peth hefyd er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn gwneud hyn yn iawn yn y dyfodol.
Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Angela Burns.
Questions now from party spokespeople. The Conservative spokesperson, Angela Burns.
Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, following the July publication of the Welsh Government response to the parliamentary review, I note you indicated that the regional partnership boards are to be responsible for directing change and that you intend to issue guidance. Could you please tell us when will this guidance be forthcoming on the transformational change, and, considering that the progress of the regional boards has been highly inconsistent to date, how can you be confident that progress and transformation will be equitable across all the health boards?
Diolch, Lywydd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yn dilyn cyhoeddi ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r adolygiad seneddol ym mis Gorffennaf, nodaf eich bod wedi dweud mai'r byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol sy'n gyfrifol am gyfarwyddo newid a'ch bod yn bwriadu cyhoeddi canllawiau. A allech chi roi gwybod inni pryd y bydd y canllawiau hyn ar y newid gweddnewidiol yn barod, ac o ystyried bod cynnydd y byrddau rhanbarthol wedi bod yn anghyson iawn hyd yn hyn, sut y gallwch fod yn hyderus y bydd y cynnydd a'r newid yn deg ar draws y byrddau iechyd?
I welcome Angela Burns back following the reshuffle. I look forward to many continuing jousts of varying natures and temperatures.
The guidance you refer to has already been issued. We've already issued guidance about the use of the criteria for the transformation fund. And, more than that, in terms of the second part of your question—the confidence that we'll see real progress—I've made the time, together with the Minister, to make sure that we have met every single one of the regional partnership boards, we've met the health and local government leadership together, to be clear about what we expected in the development of 'A Healthier Wales', and then afterwards to be clear that we expect it now to be delivered. And, in meeting those people, what's been very interesting is that they all have ideas about the joint use of resources, where health and local government are genuine partners rather than one party being the decision maker and somebody else being a mere consultee—but, more than that, the range of projects and bids that we have already. I am hopeful that, within the coming weeks, not months, I'll be able to announce the first areas that will receive additional support from the transformation fund. And I think it will make real some of the discussions we're having now. I'm also confident that those parts of Wales that are not in the first group to have their transformation projects approved will see that as a helpful kick start to make sure they are not left in the slow lane. There is real ambition, I am pleased to say, to make sure that every part of Wales takes part in genuinely transforming services.
Croeso nôl i Angela Burns ar ôl yr ad-drefnu. Edrychaf ymlaen at lawer o brocio parhaus o natur a naws amrywiol.
Cyhoeddwyd y canllawiau rydych yn cyfeirio atynt eisoes. Rydym eisoes wedi cyhoeddi canllawiau ynghylch y defnydd o'r meini prawf ar gyfer y gronfa drawsnewid. Ac yn fwy na hynny, mewn perthynas ag ail ran eich cwestiwn—yr hyder y byddwn yn gweld cynnydd go iawn—rwyf wedi rhoi amser, ynghyd â'r Gweinidog, i wneud yn siŵr ein bod wedi cyfarfod â phob un o'r byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol, rydym wedi cyfarfod ag arweinwyr awdurdodau lleol ac iechyd gyda'n gilydd, er mwyn bod yn glir ynglŷn â'r hyn roeddem yn ei ddisgwyl wrth ddatblygu 'Cymru Iachach', ac yna er mwyn bod yn glir ein bod yn disgwyl iddo gael ei ddarparu yn awr. Ac wrth gyfarfod â'r bobl hynny, yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn ddiddorol iawn yw bod ganddynt oll syniadau ynglŷn â defnyddio adnoddau ar y cyd, lle mae iechyd a llywodraeth leol yn bartneriaid go iawn yn hytrach na bod un yn gwneud y penderfyniadau a'r llall yn ymgynghorai yn unig—ond yn fwy na hynny, amrediad y prosiectau a'r cynigion sydd gennym yn barod. Rwy'n gobeithio, o fewn yr wythnosau, nid misoedd, nesaf y byddaf yn gallu cyhoeddi'r meysydd cyntaf a fydd yn derbyn cymorth ychwanegol o'r gronfa drawsnewid. Ac rwy'n credu y bydd yn gwireddu rhai o'r trafodaethau rydym yn eu cael ar hyn o bryd. Rwyf hefyd yn hyderus y bydd y rhannau o Gymru nad ydynt yn y grŵp cyntaf i gael eu prosiectau trawsnewid wedi'u cymeradwyo yn gweld hynny fel hwb defnyddiol i sicrhau nad ydynt yn cael eu gadael yn y lôn araf. Rwy'n falch o ddweud bod gwir uchelgais i wneud yn siŵr fod pob rhan o Gymru'n cymryd rhan o ddifrif yn y broses o drawsnewid gwasanaethau.
So, given what you've just said about the role that you see the regional boards performing, can you explain then how that ties in to the national transformation board? Will they be the ones who are responsible, ultimately, for the transformation of the national health service? And, as I'm sure you are aware, business process re-engineering is a highly defined skill and it takes a lot of experience to do it successfully, especially in an organisation as large as the NHS—and please accept that, when I refer to the NHS, I refer to NHS and social care, because the two are integral to each other. So, I'd like to understand what additional resources you might be putting in place to support both the national board and the regional partnership boards in terms of people with absolute transformational business process re-engineering skills. And when will you be measuring—or how will you put in place a series of key performance indicators so that we know how well they are doing and what timescales they are doing it to?
Felly, o ystyried yr hyn rydych newydd ei ddweud ynglŷn â'r rôl rydych yn credu y bydd y byrddau rhanbarthol yn ei chwarae, a allwch chi egluro sut y mae hynny'n cysylltu â'r bwrdd trawsnewid cenedlaethol? Ai'r bwrdd hwn fydd yn gyfrifol am drawsnewid y gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol yn y pen draw? Ac fel rwy'n siŵr eich bod yn ymwybodol, mae ailstrwythuro prosesau busnes yn sgìl hynod ddiffiniedig ac mae'n cymryd llawer o brofiad i'w wneud yn llwyddiannus, yn enwedig mewn sefydliad mor fawr â'r GIG—a chofiwch, pan gyfeiriaf at y GIG, fy mod yn cyfeirio at y GIG a gofal cymdeithasol, oherwydd mae'r ddau'n rhan annatod o'i gilydd. Felly, hoffwn ddeall pa adnoddau ychwanegol y gallech fod yn eu rhoi ar waith i gefnogi'r bwrdd cenedlaethol a'r byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol o ran pobl sydd â sgiliau ailstrwythuro prosesau busnes trawsnewidiol. A phryd y byddwch yn mesur—neu sut y byddwch yn rhoi cyfres o ddangosyddion perfformiad allweddol ar waith fel y cawn wybod pa mor dda y maent yn ei wneud a pha amserlenni y maent yn eu dilyn?
Thank you for that. I can confirm that the national board has already met, and its role is to have oversight for the progress in delivering 'A Healthier Wales', rather than, effectively, providing a second decision-making course for individual regional partnership boards agreeing on bids they want to make for transformation. That will still be my officials looking at those bids and then giving me advice about whether I should or should not agree to fund the bids that are made. The reason for that is that we've issued guidance already, with the clarity about the criteria for regional partnership boards to meet in actually providing those transformative projects. And the ones that we've highlighted are that they have to be genuinely transformative—so not simply rebadging a current, existing service—and also have the potential to deliver at scale, because I'm looking for a genuine transformation across the system and not for a series of micro projects that are about more local circumstances and ultra-local leadership. I'm looking for genuine scale and scalability in what we have.
I'm looking to measure our success by the process of accountability. We have a fund that is looking at whether we have genuinely transformed where we are, whether we're meeting the headlines and meeting the targets, the 40 different targets, we have in 'A Healthier Wales' over the initial three-year period. And I know that we will be judged on that. There will be scrutiny here, there will be regular opportunities to ask me questions. But part of the challenge is that, for each of those bids to transform the service, I have to be prepared that, even on the best advice and the best service design, with people available within the health and social care field working together, it's possible that they won't all succeed or they won't all succeed in meeting all of the goals and objectives that are set against each bid to come in. It's important that I accept that at the outset, because otherwise we won't see real innovation and we won't see a real transformative approach to re-engineering our services to meet the challenges of the future.
So, for each bid, you'll see what it encompasses, you'll see the basis on which I've made my decision and you'll see something about a timescale to understand whether it's been successful or not.
Diolch i chi am hynny. Gallaf gadarnhau bod y bwrdd cenedlaethol eisoes wedi cyfarfod, a'i rôl yw goruchwylio'r cynnydd ar gyflawni 'Cymru Iachach', yn hytrach na darparu, i bob pwrpas, ail gwrs gwneud penderfyniadau ar gyfer byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol unigol i gytuno ar gynigion y maent eisiau eu gwneud ar gyfer trawsnewid. Fy swyddogion i fydd yn edrych ar y cynigion hynny o hyd, ac yna yn fy nghynghori a ddylwn gytuno i ariannu'r cynigon a wneir ai peidio. Y rheswm am hynny yw oherwydd ein bod wedi cyhoeddi canllawiau yn barod, gydag eglurhad ynglŷn â'r meini prawf sydd i'w diwallu gan y byrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol wrth ddarparu'r prosiectau trawsnewidiol hynny. A'r rhai rydym wedi eu hamlygu yw bod yn rhaid iddynt fod yn wirioneddol drawsnewidiol—felly'n gwneud mwy nag ailddiffinio gwasanaeth cyfredol, sy'n bodoli'n barod—a bod â'r potensial hefyd i gyflawni ar raddfa fawr, oherwydd rwy'n edrych am drawsnewid gwirioneddol ar draws y system ac nid am gyfres o brosiectau micro sy'n ymwneud ag amgylchiadau mwy lleol ac arweinyddiaeth leol iawn. Rwy'n edrych am faint go iawn a'r gallu i dyfu yn yr hyn sydd gennym.
Rwy'n bwriadu mesur ein llwyddiant drwy broses o atebolrwydd. Mae gennym gronfa sy'n edrych i weld a ydym wedi trawsnewid ein sefyllfa mewn gwirionedd, a ydym yn cyflawni'r penawdau ac yn cyrraedd y targedau, y 40 o dargedau gwahanol sydd gennym yn 'Cymru Iachach' dros y cyfnod cychwynnol o dair blynedd. A gwn y byddwn yn cael ein barnu ar hynny. Bydd prosesau craffu yma, bydd cyfleoedd rheolaidd i ofyn cwestiynau i mi. Ond rhan o'r her, er mwyn i bob un o'r cynigion hynny drawsnewid y gwasanaeth, yw bod yn rhaid i mi fod yn barod, hyd yn oed gyda'r cyngor gorau a'r cynllun gwasanaeth gorau, gyda phobl o fewn y maes iechyd a'r maes gofal cymdeithasol yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd, ei bod hi'n bosibl na fydd pob un ohonynt yn llwyddo neu na fydd pob un yn llwyddo i gyflawni'r holl nodau ac amcanion a osodir yn erbyn pob cais a ddaw i law. Mae'n bwysig fy mod yn derbyn hynny o'r cychwyn cyntaf, oherwydd fel arall ni fyddwn yn gweld arloesedd go iawn ac ni fyddwn yn gweld dull trawsnewidiol go iawn o ailstrwythuro ein gwasanaethau i oresgyn heriau'r dyfodol.
Felly, ar gyfer pob cais, fe welwch yr hyn y mae'n ei gwmpasu, fe welwch y sail dros wneud fy mhenderfyniad ac fe welwch rywbeth am amserlen i weld a yw wedi bod yn llwyddiannus ai peidio.
Actually, I'm really glad to hear you say that you're not going to expect every single bid to be successful, because the key to being able to achieve this recalibration of the NHS is that we've got to be prepared to accept failure, and there will be some failures along the way in all of these projects. But you are talking about the projects—you're talking about the transformation fund and the moneys coming out of it, but, of course, the parliamentary review was about so much more than that, because it actually talked about a cultural transformation within the NHS, about this shift towards a much more staff-focused empowering, enabling person-centred care to really work in its ultimate sense. So, whilst all those projects are going on and you're using the transformation money to fund the 40 or so specific projects, how else is this message being transported throughout the NHS? How else are you getting the buy-in from the rank-and-file staff who've got to be able to cleave to that national vision of: this is where we want our NHS to be in 10 years' time; this is how we want it to focus? The old specialist centres, the silo mentality—it's all got to go. We've got to look at it in a different way, and that affects everyone from the porter all the way through to the most specialised consultant that we currently employ and, of course, through all the management strata.
So, whilst the transformation fund is welcome—and the projects—it can't work in isolation, because you're only going to be fixing little bits of the problem as we go along. You've got to be able to take that entire structure all the way through and that's what I don't see and I don't quite get a feel of: where the people are coming from to enable that, because that's not always a cost element. It's all about cultural change and about re-working how people are doing specific jobs today, and it's not something that necessarily has to go into a project to go and get some money from the Welsh Government to make happen.
Mewn gwirionedd, rwy'n falch dros ben o'ch clywed yn dweud nad ydych yn disgwyl i bob cais unigol fod yn llwyddiannus, oherwydd yr allwedd i sicrhau bod y GIG yn cael ei ad-drefnu yw'r angen inni fod yn barod i dderbyn methiant, a bydd rhai methiannau ar hyd y ffordd gyda phob un o'r prosiectau hyn. Ond rydych yn sôn am y prosiectau—rydych yn sôn am y gronfa drawsnewid a'r arian a ddaw ohoni, ond wrth gwrs, roedd yr arolwg seneddol yn ymwneud â chymaint mwy na hynny, oherwydd soniai am weddnewid diwylliannol o fewn y GIG, am y newid hwn tuag at ofal sy'n canolbwyntio llawer mwy ar rymuso staff, gan alluogi gofal sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn i weithio o ddifrif yn ei ystyr lwyraf. Felly, tra bo'r holl brosiectau hynny ar y gweill a'ch bod yn defnyddio arian trawsnewid i ariannu'r 40 prosiect penodol, sut arall y caiff y neges hon ei chludo ledled y GIG? Sut arall y cewch gefnogaeth gan staff cyffredin sydd angen gallu cynnal y weledigaeth genedlaethol honno: dyma ble rydym eisiau i'n GIG fod ymhen 10 mlynedd; dyma lle rydym eisiau i'r ffocws fod? Yr hen ganolfannau arbenigol, y meddylfryd seilo—mae angen cael gwared arnynt i gyd. Mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar hyn mewn ffordd wahanol, ac mae hynny'n effeithio ar bawb, o'r porthor i'r meddyg ymgynghorol mwyaf arbenigol rydym yn ei gyflogi ar hyn o bryd ac wrth gwrs, drwy'r holl haenau rheoli.
Felly, er ein bod yn croesawu'r gronfa drawsnewid—a'r prosiectau—ni all weithio ar ei phen ei hun, oherwydd ni fyddwch ond yn trwsio darnau bach o'r broblem wrth inni symud ymlaen. Mae'n rhaid i chi allu ymdrin â'r strwythur yn ei gyfanrwydd ac nid wyf yn gweld hynny na'n teimlo hynny: o ble y daw'r bobl i alluogi hynny, oherwydd nid elfen yn ymwneud â chost yw hynny bob amser. Mae'n ymwneud â newid diwylliannol ac ailstrwythuro'r modd y mae pobl yn gwneud swyddi penodol heddiw, ac nid yw'n rhywbeth sy'n rhaid ei roi mewn prosiect o reidrwydd er mwyn cael rhywfaint o arian gan Lywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau ei fod yn ddigwydd.
I shall remind you of your recognition that we have to accept some projects won't succeed, if that happens. But, look, the cultural change point you make is one that I accept completely. But the transformation fund particularly will help to kick-start new models of care. That will be part of generating cultural change, but it won't do it in itself. If I said the transformation fund was the thing that would generate the cultural change we want to see then I'd be setting that fund up to fail from the outset, because actually it's about much more. If you go back to not just the review but to 'A Healthier Wales' itself, and then accepting the four main pillars of it, a large part of that is about the engagement of the staff in helping to re-engineer and redesign the service. That isn't just a discrete group of managers, leaders and planners. It is about a wider group of staff buying into how they are the most effective agents for change for the service. It's a message that I've regularly given in going out and meeting with staff and listening to them, saying that, actually, they're in a really privileged position, because they're trusted by the public in a way that no politician in this place will be, and they have the opportunity to change the system from their own experience and their own view on where there is waste and inefficiency and opportunity for improvement. Getting right the cultural change is something that they'll understand when we have it, but it's rather more difficult to measure. If we can't, though, generate that cultural change, we won't deliver the sort of shift that I think everyone, regardless of their party in this place, wants to see across our health and social care system.
Rwyf am eich atgoffa o'r ffaith eich bod wedi cydnabod bod yn rhaid i ni dderbyn na fydd rhai prosiectau yn llwyddo, os bydd hynny'n digwydd. Ond edrychwch, mae'r pwynt rydych yn ei wneud ynglŷn â newid diwylliannol yn bwynt rwy'n ei dderbyn yn llwyr. Ond bydd y gronfa drawsnewid yn arbennig yn ein helpu i hyrwyddo modelau gofal newydd. Bydd hynny'n rhan o greu newid diwylliannol, ond ni fydd yn gwneud hynny ynddo'i hun. Pe bawn yn dweud mai'r gronfa drawsnewid yw'r peth a fyddai'n cynhyrchu'r newid diwylliannol rydym eisiau ei weld, buaswn yn achosi i'r gronfa honno fethu o'r cychwyn, oherwydd mae'n ymwneud â llawer mwy na hynny mewn gwirionedd. Os edrychwch nid yn unig ar yr adolygiad, ond ar 'Cymru Iachach' ei hun, a derbyn y pedair prif golofn, mae rhan fawr o hynny'n ymwneud ag ymrwymiad y staff i helpu i ailstrwythuro ac ailgynllunio’r gwasanaeth. Nid yw hynny'n golygu un grŵp penodol o reolwyr, arweinwyr a chynllunwyr yn unig. Mae'n ymwneud â grŵp ehangach o staff yn cytuno mai hwy yw'r asiantau mwyaf effeithiol ar gyfer newid y gwasanaeth. Mae'n neges rwyf wedi'i rhoi'n rheolaidd wrth gyfarfod â staff a gwrando arnynt, a dweud, mewn gwirionedd, eu bod mewn sefyllfa freintiedig iawn, gan fod y cyhoedd yn ymddiried ynddynt mewn ffordd na fyddent byth yn ymddiried mewn unrhyw wleidydd yn y lle hwn, ac mae ganddynt gyfle i newid y system o'u profiad eu hunain a'u safbwynt eu hunain ynglŷn â ble mae gwastraff ac aneffeithiolrwydd a chyfle i wella. Mae sicrhau bod y newid diwylliannol yn iawn yn rhywbeth y byddant yn ei ddeall pan fydd wedi cael ei gyflawni, ond mae'n anos ei fesur. Serch hynny, os na allwn gynhyrchu'r newid diwylliannol, ni fyddwn yn cyflawni'r math o newid y credaf y bydd pawb, ni waeth beth yw eu plaid yn y lle hwn, eisiau ei weld ar draws ein system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol.
Llefarydd Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Diolch. Mae'ch Llywodraeth chi wedi rhedeg bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr ers dros dair blynedd erbyn hyn. Nid ydym ni wedi gweld gwelliannau digon sylweddol eto, mae gen i ofn. Felly, beth ydy'r prif resymau pam rydych chi wedi methu yn hynny o beth?
Thank you. Your Government has run the Betsi Cadwaladr health board for over three years now and we haven’t seen sufficient improvements as of yet, I’m afraid. So, what are the main reasons why you have failed in that regard?
Since the introduction of special measures, we have announced a range of improvement frameworks, a range of actions and support that we have taken. Of course, I'll be dealing with more of this in question 3, but you will have noticed over the summer, for example, the additional £6.8 million of investment we've made within the health board.
The reasons why the health board performance has not improved to a level that we would say is acceptable on all counts are varied. There are challenges about central leadership within the health board and there are challenges about shifting some local culture within the health board as well. We have seen some improvements, for example, in maternity services, which have been removed from special measures. We've seen improvement in some out-of-hours services. But I think I've covered the reasons for and my frustration with the inability to make as rapid a progress on a number of occasions—I'm sure I'll have an opportunity to do so again—including in the last statement I made in this place before summer recess.
Ers cyflwyno mesurau arbennig, rydym wedi cyhoeddi amrywiaeth o fframweithiau gwella, amrywiaeth o gamau gweithredu a chymorth rydym wedi'u cymryd. Wrth gwrs, byddwn yn ymdrin â mwy o hyn yng nghwestiwn 3, ond byddwch wedi sylwi dros yr haf, er enghraifft, ar y £6.8 miliwn o fuddsoddiad ychwanegol rydym wedi'i wneud o fewn y bwrdd iechyd.
Mae'r rhesymau pam nad yw perfformiad y bwrdd iechyd wedi gwella i lefel y byddem yn ei galw'n dderbyniol ar bob cyfrif yn amrywiol. Mae yna heriau ynghylch arweinyddiaeth ganolog o fewn y bwrdd iechyd ac mae yna heriau ynghylch newid rhywfaint o ddiwylliant lleol o fewn y bwrdd iechyd yn ogystal. Rydym wedi gweld rhai gwelliannau, er enghraifft, mewn gwasanaethau mamolaeth, sydd wedi cael eu tynnu o'r categori mesurau arbennig. Rydym wedi gweld gwelliannau mewn rhai gwasanaethau y tu allan i oriau. Ond credaf fy mod wedi crybwyll y rhesymau am hynny, ynghyd â fy rhwystredigaeth gyda'r anallu i wneud cynnydd mor gyflym ar nifer o achlysuron—rwy'n siŵr y caf gyfle i wneud hynny eto—gan gynnwys yn y datganiad diwethaf a wneuthum yn y lle hwn cyn toriad yr haf.
Mi ydych chi, wrth gwrs, yn adrodd yn ôl i'r Cynulliad yma yn aml eich bod chi'n teimlo bod gwelliannau'n digwydd mewn sawl maes, ond mae'n amlwg i fi bod yna rywbeth yn floc yn y system. Wn i ddim a ydy'n floc cyllidol neu floc o ran rheoli, neu a oes yna broblem sydd yn fwy creiddiol sydd angen mynd i'r afael â hi. Rydym ni'n sôn am yr angen i ddylifro gwasanaethau mwy a mwy yn y gymuned trwy feddygfeydd teulu a fferyllfeydd ac ati, ond mae gen i ofn mai symud i'r cyfeiriad arall yr ydym ni o ran defnydd adnoddau, efo ysbytai, sydd o dan bwysau mawr, wrth gwrs, yn cymryd mwy a mwy o siâr o'r gacen.
Rydw i'n gwybod nid ar chwarae bach y mae newid strwythurau, ond rydw i yn meddwl bod yr amser wedi dod i gael gwared ar Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr. Rydw i'n cynnig mai'r hyn sydd ei angen ydy ei rhannu fo, nid yn ddaearyddol, ond ei rhannu fo yn haenau—yn ysbytai a gofal sylfaenol. Mi fyddai cyllidebau gofal sylfaenol yn cael eu gwarchod a'r bwrdd gofal sylfaenol yn gallu creu model newydd o integreiddio go iawn efo gofal cymdeithasol, tra bo'r ysbytai yn gallu canolbwyntio ar eu heriau hwythau. A oes gan y Llywodraeth, fel finnau, yr awydd i chwilio am atebion o'r newydd?
Of course, you do report back to the Assembly often that you feel that improvements are being made in several areas, but it’s clear to me that there is a block in the system. I don’t know if it’s a funding block, or a block in terms of management, or if there is a more major problem that needs to be addressed. We are talking about the need to deliver services more and more in the community through GP surgeries and pharmacies and so on, but I fear that we are moving in the other direction in terms of the use of resources, with hospitals, which are under huge pressures, of course, taking more and more of a share of the cake.
I know that changing structures is not child’s play, but I do think that the time has now come to scrap the Betsi Cadwaladr health board. I would propose that what is needed is to split it, not geographically, but in terms of strata—as hospitals and primary care. The budgets for primary care would be safeguarded and the primary care board could create a new model of real integration with social care, whilst the hospitals could focus on their own challenges. Does the Government, like me, have the desire to seek new solutions?
I of course want Betsi Cadwaladr to succeed. I want it to deliver the sort of quality of healthcare that each of us, in every single community, would expect. Your proposal to break up the health board is not one that is supported by the overwhelming majority of staff within the health board—we've been through this in responses from them. And I don't believe that the structural re-engineering that you suggest would deliver a better service. Splitting hospitals and primary care is something that we've tried before in Wales, and it didn't deliver the sort of improvement that we wanted. Splitting hospital trusts away from primary care has not delivered the sort of improvement that everyone would want in England across the whole system either. So, I would caution the Member before he suggests that that sort of re-engineering in north Wales will provide the eventual outcomes that, I think, all of us do wish to see.
Wrth gwrs fy mod eisiau gweld Betsi Cadwaladr yn llwyddo. Rwyf eisiau i'r bwrdd iechyd gyflawni gofal iechyd o'r math o ansawdd y byddai pob un ohonom, ym mhob cymuned, yn ei ddisgwyl. Nid yw'r mwyafrif llethol o staff o fewn y bwrdd iechyd yn cefnogi eich argymhelliad i rannu'r bwrdd iechyd—rydym wedi bod drwy hyn mewn ymatebion ganddynt. Ac nid wyf yn credu y byddai'r ailstrwythuro rydych yn ei awgrymu yn darparu gwasanaeth gwell. Rydym wedi ceisio rhannu ysbytai a gofal sylfaenol yng Nghymru yn y gorffennol, ac ni lwyddodd hynny i ddarparu'r math o welliant roeddem ei eisiau. Nid yw rhannu ymddiriedolaethau ysbytai a gofal sylfaenol wedi sicrhau'r math o welliant y byddai pawb ei eisiau yn Lloegr ar draws y system gyfan chwaith. Felly, buaswn yn cymell yr Aelod i bwyllo rhag awgrymu y bydd y math hwnnw o ailstrwythuro yng ngogledd Cymru yn darparu'r canlyniadau y byddai pob un ohonom, rwy'n credu, yn dymuno eu gweld yn y pen draw.
The result of your caution, you see, is that Betsi Cadwaladr has been in special measures now for over three years. I'm clear in my mind that patients in the north of Wales deserve better. And here we have a model that I believe could work for the whole of Wales after being rolled out in the health board with the biggest population and serving the biggest area. People living in the north of Wales can see the problem. And staff, who tell me that they like this idea of doing something different to try to get to grips with the problem in the way that this Government have failed to do so far, are frustrated and they're under pressure. By putting a model in place that protects primary care budgets and keeps people out of secondary care, which allows secondary care to concentrate on its many challenges and provides a new focus on integration—. Well, I think by doing that we might just start heading in the right direction. Isn't it time to say that, with special measures not working, it's time for radical measures instead?
Canlyniad eich pwyll, welwch chi, yw'r ffaith bod Betsi Cadwaladr wedi bod yn destun mesurau arbennig ers dros dair blynedd bellach. Rwy'n sicr yn fy meddwl fod cleifion gogledd Cymru yn haeddu gwell. Ac yma mae gennym fodel y credaf y gallai weithio i Gymru gyfan ar ôl cael ei gyflwyno yn y bwrdd iechyd sydd â'r boblogaeth fwyaf ac sy'n gwasanaethu'r ardal fwyaf. Mae'r bobl sy'n byw yng ngogledd Cymru yn gallu gweld y broblem. Ac mae'r staff, sy'n dweud wrthyf eu bod yn hoffi'r syniad hwn o wneud rhywbeth gwahanol i geisio mynd i'r afael â'r broblem yn y ffordd y mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi methu ei wneud hyd yn hyn, yn rhwystredig ac maent o dan bwysau. Drwy roi model ar waith sy'n diogelu cyllidebau gofal sylfaenol ac yn cadw pobl allan o ofal eilaidd, sy'n caniatáu i ofal eilaidd ganolbwyntio ar ei heriau niferus ac sy'n rhoi ffocws newydd ar integreiddio—. Wel, rwy'n credu, drwy wneud hynny, y gallem fod yn mynd i'r cyfeiriad cywir. O ystyried nad yw mesurau arbennig yn gweithio, onid yw'n bryd cael mesurau radical yn lle hynny?
I tried to be polite to the Member in my second answer, to give him an opportunity to reconsider the track he was going down. I have to say that the orders are not just to re-engineer health in north Wales, but your plan—I assume on behalf of your party—to take a wrecking ball to the way we organise and run the national health service in Wales in every single part of the country is not something that I would support at all. The last thing that our health service needs is a major structural reorganisation such as the one that you have just proposed. It would be an additional distraction to delivering healthcare in the most challenging of circumstances, with additional financial pressure, the challenges of Brexit on the horizon, the additional public health challenges that we all know that we face, and an ageing population, and it would an additional barrier to integration within the health service, let alone to delivering the plan 'A Healthier Wales', which has been designed and agreed by health and local government, for the first time together working to deliver a joint health and social care plan with buy-in from the third sector and housing. I think the proposal that you make is foolish. It runs in exactly the opposite direction of every respected commentator and expert across health and social care. Even in England, Simon Stevens recognises they have got it wrong on dividing trusts from primary care. He is now looking at integrated models of care in England. He won't say, 'Look at Scotland or Wales' when he looks at them; he looks further afield. He can hardly say to the Tories in England that he likes the look of integrated healthcare models. Nobody who is serious about the organisation and running of a modern health service is agreeing with the plan that you propose, and I strongly suggest you go back and reconsider your position.
Ceisiais fod yn gwrtais wrth yr Aelod yn fy ail ateb, i roi cyfle iddo ailystyried y trywydd roedd yn ei ddilyn. Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud nad gorchymyn i ailstrwythuro iechyd yng ngogledd Cymru yn unig yw hwn, ond nid yw eich cynllun—ar ran eich plaid rwy'n cymryd—i ddinistrio'r ffordd rydym yn trefnu ac yn gweithredu'r gwasanaeth iechyd gwladol ym mhob cwr o Gymru yn rhywbeth y buaswn yn ei gefnogi o gwbl. Y peth olaf sydd ei angen ar ein gwasanaeth iechyd yw ad-drefnu strwythurol mawr fel yr un rydych newydd ei argymell. Byddai'n ymyrraeth ychwanegol â'r nod o ddarparu gofal iechyd yn yr amgylchiadau mwyaf heriol, gyda phwysau ariannol ychwanegol, heriau Brexit ar y gorwel, yr heriau iechyd cyhoeddus ychwanegol y mae pawb ohonom yn gwybod ein bod yn eu hwynebu, a phoblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, a byddai'n rhwystr ychwanegol i integreiddio o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd, heb sôn am gyflawni'r cynllun 'Cymru Iachach', a luniwyd ac a gytunwyd gan lywodraeth leol ac iechyd, gan weithio gyda'i gilydd am y tro cyntaf i gyflawni cynllun iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ar y cyd, gyda chefnogaeth y trydydd sector a'r sector tai. Credaf fod y cynnig rydych yn ei wneud yn un ffôl. Mae'n mynd yn erbyn safbwynt pob sylwebydd ac arbenigwr uchel ei barch ar draws iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Hyd yn oed yn Lloegr, mae Simon Stevens yn cydnabod eu bod wedi gwneud y peth anghywir wrth wahanu ymddiriedolaethau a gofal sylfaenol. Mae bellach yn edrych ar fodelau gofal integredig yn Lloegr. Ni fydd yn dweud 'Edrychwch ar yr Alban neu Gymru' pan fydd yn edrych arnynt; bydd yn edrych ymhellach i ffwrdd. Prin y gall ddweud wrth y Torïaid yn Lloegr ei fod yn hoffi'r syniad o fodelau gofal iechyd integredig. Nid oes neb sydd o ddifrif ynglŷn â threfniadaeth a gweithrediad gwasanaeth iechyd modern yn cytuno â'r cynllun rydych yn ei gynnig, ac awgrymaf yn gryf eich bod yn mynd yn ôl i ailystyried eich safbwynt.
Llefarydd UKIP, Gareth Bennett.
The UKIP spokesperson, Gareth Bennett.
Diolch, Llywydd, and good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. I wanted to ask you some questions today about social prescribing. As you know, social prescribing—sometimes referred to as community referral—is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local and non-clinical services. So, it does promote a more holistic approach to health matters and, as such, I think it is a welcome development.
Now, it's widely acknowledged that Wales does have a major problem with obesity, with 59 per cent of adults in Wales classified as being obese and, more worryingly still, the figures for children also show that almost a quarter of children are obese. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to encourage the use of social prescribing to tackle the obesity problem?
Diolch, Lywydd, a phrynhawn da, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Roeddwn eisiau gofyn cwestiynau i chi heddiw am bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Fel y gwyddoch, mae presgripsiynu cymdeithasol—cyfeirir ato weithiau fel atgyfeirio cymunedol—yn fodd o alluogi meddygon teulu, nyrsys a gweithwyr proffesiynol gofal sylfaenol eraill i atgyfeirio pobl at amrywiaeth o wasanaethau lleol ac anghlinigol. Felly, mae'n hyrwyddo ymagwedd fwy cyfannol at faterion iechyd ac fel y cyfryw, credaf ei fod yn ddatblygiad i'w groesawu.
Nawr, cydnabyddir yn eang fod gan Gymru broblem fawr gyda gordewdra, gyda 59 y cant o oedolion yng Nghymru yn ordew ac yn fwy pryderus byth, mae'r ffigurau ar gyfer plant hefyd yn dangos bod bron i chwarter o blant Cymru yn ordew. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i annog y defnydd o bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol i fynd i'r afael â phroblem ordewdra?
This Government has already taken an approach to promoting social prescribing and to developing the evidence base for its impact on physical and mental health. I've made a series of announcements about a range of projects that we are supporting with additional resource. You may have missed them; I'll happily direct you to them again. In addition to that, you may also want to take a look at some excellent examples of large-scale social prescribing, some of which are taking place in north Wales with a broader health board approach, and, of course, the excellent Valleys Steps initiative that has its headquarters in Cynon Valley. So, we recognise the case for more social prescribing. We'll look at more evidence about what we could do with it. It's not just in the field of having a healthier weight but of a range of potential benefits we wish to understand and then properly exploit.
Mae'r Llywodraeth hon eisoes wedi mabwysiadu dull o hyrwyddo presgripsiynu cymdeithasol a datblygu'r sylfaen dystiolaeth ar gyfer ei effaith ar iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl. Rwyf wedi gwneud cyfres o gyhoeddiadau am amrywiaeth o brosiectau rydym yn eu cefnogi gydag adnoddau ychwanegol. Efallai eich bod wedi'u methu; rwy'n hapus i'ch cyfeirio atynt eto. Yn ogystal â hynny, efallai y byddwch eisiau edrych ar enghreifftiau rhagorol o bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol ar raddfa fawr, mae rhai ohonynt yn digwydd yng ngogledd Cymru ar sail y bwrdd iechyd ehangach, ac wrth gwrs, mae pencadlys menter ragorol Camau'r Cymoedd wedi'i leoli yng Nghwm Cynon. Felly, rydym yn cydnabod yr achos dros fwy o bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Byddwn yn edrych ar fwy o dystiolaeth mewn perthynas â'r hyn y gallwn ei wneud ag ef. Nid yw'n ymwneud yn unig â chynnal pwysau iachach, mae'n ymwneud ag amrywiaeth o fanteision posibl rydym yn awyddus i'w deall a manteisio arnynt yn briodol.
Yes, I think you're right that there is a range of approaches that are needed to tackle the problem, and I'm glad to hear that you are taking social prescribing seriously. Now, I do think that it's a good idea, as I said, to use this method. However, part of the problem with social prescribing providers is that many activities are led by volunteers and the charitable sector, so they may be vulnerable over the longer term to funding changes. Has the Government given any consideration to ring-fencing funding for some of these vital projects in the future?
Ie, credaf eich bod yn iawn fod angen amrywiaeth o ddulliau i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem, ac rwy'n falch o glywed eich bod yn o ddifrif ynghylch presgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Nawr, fel y dywedais, rwy'n credu bod defnyddio'r dull hwn yn syniad da. Fodd bynnag, rhan o'r broblem gyda darparwyr presgripsiynu cymdeithasol yw bod llawer o weithgareddau yn cael eu harwain gan wirfoddolwyr a'r sector elusennol, felly gallant fod yn agored i newidiadau cyllido dros y tymor hwy. A yw'r Llywodraeth wedi rhoi unrhyw ystyriaeth i glustnodi cyllid ar gyfer rhai o'r prosiectau hanfodol hyn yn y dyfodol?
As I said in my first answer, I have announced additional funding to support particular social prescribing projects organised by a range of people in the voluntary sector in particular. Part of the challenge about social prescribing is often—these are low-cost or no-cost activities in any event—about encouraging people to make use of them. You may also wish to look at the national exercise referral scheme, which is a scheme that has run for a number of years. A number of Members will be familiar with it in this Chamber, and it has excellent results in terms of helping to improve people's physical and mental health. But, of course, we'll always review the amount of funding available to try and deliver on the objectives that we wish to deliver for the people of Wales. We will continue to do so, of course, in the face of continuing austerity.
Fel y dywedais yn fy ateb cyntaf, rwyf wedi cyhoeddi cyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi prosiectau presgripsiynu cymdeithasol penodol a drefnir gan amrywiaeth o bobl yn y sector gwirfoddol yn arbennig. Yn aml, rhan o'r her mewn perthynas â phresgripsiynu cymdeithasol—mae'r rhain yn weithgareddau cost isel neu'n weithgareddau rhad ac am ddim beth bynnag—yw annog pobl i wneud defnydd ohonynt. Efallai y byddwch eisiau edrych ar y cynllun cenedlaethol i atgyfeirio cleifion i wneud ymarfer corff, sef cynllun sydd wedi bod ar y gweill ers nifer o flynyddoedd. Bydd nifer o'r Aelodau'n gyfarwydd ag ef yn y Siambr hon, ac mae wedi esgor ar ganlyniadau rhagorol o ran helpu i wella iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl pobl. Ond wrth gwrs, byddwn bob amser yn adolygu'r swm o arian sydd ar gael i geisio cyflawni'r amcanion rydym eisiau eu cyflawni dros bobl Cymru. Byddwn yn parhau i wneud hynny, wrth gwrs, yn wyneb y cyni parhaus.
Yes, thanks for that answer. I will endeavour to familiarise myself in more detail with the reports that you mentioned. Now, there is one report that I will refer to. There was a recent primary care hub report on social prescribing that indicated that there is a lack of awareness amongst the public about social prescribing. Obviously, for social prescribing to work, we need the public to be well aware of it and also, of course, GPs. What is the Welsh Government currently doing to increase the knowledge of social prescribing among the general public and also among GPs?
Ie, diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Fe ymdrechaf i ymgyfarwyddo â'r adroddiadau a grybwyllwyd gennych yn fwy manwl. Nawr, mae yna un adroddiad rwyf am gyfeirio ato. Cafwyd adroddiad hyb gofal sylfaenol yn ddiweddar ar bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol a nodai fod yna ddiffyg ymwybyddiaeth ymhlith y cyhoedd ynglŷn â phresgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Yn amlwg, er mwyn i bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol weithio, mae angen i'r cyhoedd fod yn ymwybodol iawn ohono a meddygon teulu hefyd wrth gwrs. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud ar hyn o bryd i gynyddu gwybodaeth am bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol ymhlith y cyhoedd yn gyffredinol a hefyd ymysg meddygon teulu?
I'm familiar with the primary care hub that sits within Public Health Wales and their report on social prescribing. There's a challenge, I think, for all of us in the way we talk about healthcare issues in this Chamber and with the wider public. I don't expect the public to become more familiar with the term 'social prescribing' in general terms or understand what it is, because there are a variety of things that we would call social prescribing. It's actually about how we renormalise a conversation about different ways to help people to achieve their health and well-being goals across physical and mental health. You don't need to know, I think, if it's suggested, for example, that you join your local ramblers group that that's a course of social prescribing. It's more about how you're helped to achieve different goals to improve your health and well-being, and I think we've regularly used language that excludes the public from a well-informed conversation. Because, actually, if you say, 'If you did this particular activity or if you joined a particular group, that might have a benefit', that's the sort of conversation we need to re-engineer and that is, in many ways, about access to information about what is already available as well as developing an evidence base for the impact on physical and mental well-being.
Rwy'n gyfarwydd â'r hyb gofal sylfaenol sydd wedi'i leoli o fewn Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a'u hadroddiad ar bresgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Mae yna her, rwy'n credu, yn wynebu bob un ohonom o ran y ffordd rydym yn sôn am faterion gofal iechyd yn y Siambr hon a chyda'r cyhoedd yn ehangach. Nid wyf yn disgwyl i'r cyhoedd ddod yn fwy cyfarwydd â'r term 'presgripsiynu cymdeithasol' mewn termau cyffredinol neu ddeall beth ydyw, oherwydd mae presgripsiynu cymdeithasol yn golygu amrywiaeth o bethau. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'n ymwneud â sut rydym yn ailnormaleiddio sgwrs am wahanol ffyrdd o helpu pobl i gyrraedd eu nodau iechyd a llesiant ar draws iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl. Nid wyf yn credu bod angen i chi wybod, er enghraifft, os ydych yn ymuno â'ch grŵp cerddwyr lleol, fod hwnnw'n un llwybr presgripsiynu cymdeithasol. Mae'n ymwneud mwy â sut y cewch gymorth i gyflawni nodau gwahanol i wella eich iechyd a'ch lles, a chredaf ein bod, yn rheolaidd, wedi defnyddio iaith sy'n rhwystro'r cyhoedd rhag gallu cymryd rhan mewn sgwrs hyddysg. Oherwydd, mewn gwirionedd, os ydych yn dweud, 'Pe baech yn gwneud y gweithgaredd hwn neu pe baech yn ymuno â grŵp penodol, gallai fod o fudd', dyna'r math o sgwrs y mae angen inni ei hailstrwythuro ac mae hynny, mewn sawl ffordd, yn ymwneud â chael mynediad at wybodaeth am yr hyn sydd eisoes ar gael yn ogystal â datblygu sylfaen dystiolaeth ar gyfer yr effaith ar lesiant corfforol a meddyliol.
3. Pa asesiad y mae Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r cynnydd a wnaed dros y chwe mis diwethaf i ddatrys problemau ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr? OAQ52607
3. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the level of progress over the last six months to solve problems at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board? OAQ52607
In my regular statements on Betsi Cadwaladr university health board, I have set out the detail of where improvements have been made, such as in maternity services, but I have also been very clear where the health board must take urgent action over the next 18 months. In May this year I published a new improvement framework for Betsi and I announced a range of intensive support, including the additional £6.8 million of investment I mentioned earlier in conversation with Rhun ap Iorwerth, which I've targeted at key areas of performance where I expect to see urgent improvements. Detailed progress reports will be provided against the improvement framework. These will be published in October this year.
Yn fy natganiadau rheolaidd ar fwrdd iechyd prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, rwyf wedi nodi'r manylion ynglŷn â ble y gwnaed gwelliannau, megis yn y gwasanaethau mamolaeth, ond rwyf hefyd wedi bod yn glir iawn ynglŷn â ble y mae'n rhaid i'r bwrdd iechyd gymryd camau brys dros y 18 mis nesaf. Ym mis Mai eleni cyhoeddais fframwaith gwella newydd ar gyfer Betsi Cadwaladr a chyhoeddais amrywiaeth o gymorth dwys, gan gynnwys y £6.8 miliwn ychwanegol o fuddsoddiad a grybwyllais yn gynharach yn fy sgwrs gyda Rhun ap Iorwerth, ac rwyf wedi targedu meysydd perfformiad allweddol lle rwy'n disgwyl gweld gwelliannau brys. Bydd adroddiadau cynnydd manwl yn cael eu darparu yn erbyn y fframwaith gwella. Bydd y rhain yn cael eu cyhoeddi ym mis Hydref eleni.
Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I hope you're familiar with the shocking and distressing case of Reece Yates, the baby who died at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and whose inquest took place yesterday. As you know, this is a hospital run by Betsi Cadwaladr board. The inquest heard that Reece would have had every chance of surviving his complications having been treated elsewhere, and that only a breakdown of communication prevented his transfer to a unit on the Wirral. For the board to admit, albeit through their solicitor, that, and I'm quoting here:
'Reece's chances of survival would have been better if he had been born at an alternative unit.'
It's a shocking admission that failings at the hospital were a factor in this baby's death, although I do believe that the board should be given credit for being honest. So, my question to you, Cabinet Secretary, is: will you hold an inquiry into this case and, if need be, will people finally be sacked for the now fatal failings of the health board that you're in charge of?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb hwnnw, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Rwy'n gobeithio eich bod yn gyfarwydd ag achos brawychus a thrallodus Reece Yates, y baban a fu farw yn Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam ac y cynhaliwyd ei gwest ddoe. Fel y gwyddoch, mae hon yn un o ysbytai bwrdd iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr. Clywodd y cwest y byddai Reece wedi bod yn fwy tebygol o oroesi ei gymhlethdodau pe bai wedi cael ei drin yn rhywle arall, ac mai diffyg cyfathrebu oedd yr unig beth a wnaeth atal camau i'w drosglwyddo i uned ar y Wirral. Cyfaddefodd y bwrdd, er mai drwy eu cyfreithiwr y digwyddodd hynny, ac rwy'n dyfynnu yma:
Byddai gobaith Reece o oroesi wedi bod yn well pe bai wedi cael ei eni mewn uned arall.
Mae'n gyfaddefiad syfrdanol fod methiannau yn yr ysbyty yn ffactor ym marwolaeth y baban hwn, er fy mod yn credu y dylid rhoi cydnabyddiaeth i'r bwrdd am fod yn onest. Felly, fy nghwestiwn i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, yw hwn: a fyddwch yn cynnal ymchwiliad i'r achos hwn ac os oes angen, a fydd pobl yn cael eu diswyddo o'r diwedd am fethiannau angheuol y bwrdd iechyd rydych yn gyfrifol amdano?
I have tremendous sympathy for the family for their loss. I don't want to try and use the position that they find themselves in to either take credit or to score points. I think the important point is that in every incident of this kind there is of course an internal review about what happened and what went wrong. We discussed earlier on another question about the real and lasting impact of where healthcare goes wrong, including the possibility that people will lose their lives. Of course, I expect any and every part of the health service, not just in north Wales, to properly learn from when healthcare does go wrong and to provide the reassurance that I think people will look for. I'm not looking to use a headline opportunity to arbitrarily dismiss people within the health service, but I do expect there to be proper accountability and learning, which is what I think the wider public expect.
Rwy'n cydymdeimlo'n aruthrol â'r teulu yn eu colled. Nid wyf am geisio defnyddio eu sefyllfa i gael cydnabyddiaeth na sgorio pwyntiau. Rwy'n credu mai'r pwynt pwysig, ym mhob achos o'r math hwn, yw bod yna adolygiad mewnol yn cael ei gynnal er mwyn darganfod beth ddigwyddodd a beth aeth o'i le. Yn gynharach, roeddem yn trafod cwestiwn arall ynglŷn ag effeithiau gwirioneddol a pharhaol pan fo gofal iechyd yn mynd o chwith, gan gynnwys y posibilrwydd y bydd pobl yn colli eu bywydau. Wrth gwrs, rwy'n disgwyl y bydd pob rhan o'r gwasanaeth iechyd, nid gogledd Cymru yn unig, yn dysgu'n briodol o gamgymeriadau mewn gofal iechyd ac yn darparu'r sicrwydd y bydd pobl ei eisiau. Nid wyf am fachu ar gyfle i ddiswyddo pobl o fewn y gwasanaeth iechyd yn fympwyol, ond rwy'n disgwyl y bydd atebolrwydd priodol a gwersi'n cael eu dysgu, sef yr hyn y mae'r cyhoedd ehangach yn ei ddisgwyl rwy'n credu.
Diolch, Llywydd. Rwy'n falch iawn, wrth gwrs, fod yr uned gofal dwys ar gyfer babanod, y SuRNICC, bellach wedi agor yng Nglan Clwyd ac mi fyddai'n braf medru llongyfarch y Llywodraeth ar ei gweledigaeth yn hynny o beth. Ond, wrth gwrs, y gwir plaen yw bod y Llywodraeth a'r bwrdd iechyd, yn ôl yn 2013, wedi cymeradwyo israddio gofal dwys i fabanod newydd-anedig yn y gogledd. Bryd hynny, y cynllun oedd symud y gwasanaeth i Arrowe Park yng ngogledd-orllewin Lloegr. Nawr, dim ond ymgyrch nerthol gan drigolion y gogledd orfododd y Llywodraeth i newid cyfeiriad. Felly, mi hoffwn i ddefnyddio'r cyfle yma i longyfarch yr ymgyrchwyr hynny ar eu dycnwch a'u dyfalbarhad. Mi wnaeth eu hymgyrch nhw newid meddyliau y bwrdd iechyd ac mi wnaeth e newid meddwl y Llywodraeth hefyd, gan sicrhau bod SuRNICC yn cael ei ddatblygu fel canolfan gwasanaethau gofal dwys yn y gogledd ar ran babanod y dyfodol. Felly, a wnewch chi ymuno â fi i longyfarch yr ymgyrchwyr hynny ar eu llwyddiant ac i ddiolch iddyn nhw am eu hymdrechion diflino?
Thank you, Llywydd. I’m very pleased, of course, that the intensive care department, the SuRNICC, has now opened at Glan Clwyd, and it would be good to be able to congratulate the Government on their vision in that regard. But, of course, the truth is that the Government and the health board, back in 2013, had approved the downgrading of intensive care services for newborn babies in north Wales. At that time, the plan was to move the service to Arrowe Park in the north-west of England. Now, it was only a powerful campaign from residents in north Wales that forced the Government to change direction. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate those campaigners on their determination and perseverance. Their campaign changed the minds of the health board and it changed the Government’s mind too, ensuring that a SuRNICC was developed as a centre for intensive care services in north Wales for the babies of the future. So, will you join with me in congratulating those campaigners on their success and to thank them for their untiring efforts?
There was a range of people, of course, who were involved in conversations and campaigns at the time, and the Government did look again and have a review, and the First Minister made a choice on the back of an expert review, which has now led to the SuRNICC being opened. There are people in this Chamber who took part in that campaign, and I see the local Member looking at me, and of course she was one of those who was remarkably forthright not just in public, but in private as well, as I recall, at the time.
The success story is that we chose on the back of that to invest significant additional resource and, actually, when I visited the unit before its formal opening I saw people who had received care and they were remarkably positive about the quality of care they'd received. It was instructive to me that some staff had said that they didn't quite believe it would actually happen, even when the building was taken place, and there's something there about the lack of trust and that we need to continue to rebuild with our staff and the public that decisions that we make will be followed through. But those staff who are working on the ward now recognise they have top-class facilities, they are proud of the care they deliver, and, more importantly, I think people in north Wales can have real confidence and pride in the quality of the service following the investment this Government has made.
Roedd amryw o bobl, wrth gwrs, yn rhan o drafodaethau ac ymgyrchoedd ar y pryd, ac edrychodd y Llywodraeth eto a chynnal adolygiad, ac fe wnaeth y Prif Weinidog benderfyniad yn dilyn adolygiad arbenigol, sydd bellach wedi arwain at agor y ganolfan isranbarthol ar gyfer gofal newyddenedigol dwys. Mae yna bobl yn y Siambr hon a gymerodd ran yn yr ymgyrch honno, a gwelaf yr Aelod lleol yn edrych arnaf, ac wrth gwrs roedd hi'n un o'r rhai hynod o ddi-flewyn-ar-dafod ar y pryd, nid yn unig yn gyhoeddus, ond yn breifat yn ogystal, fel y cofiaf.
Y stori lwyddiant yw ein bod wedi dewis buddsoddi mewn adnoddau ychwanegol sylweddol yn dilyn hynny ac mewn gwirionedd, pan ymwelais â'r uned cyn ei hagor yn ffurfiol gwelais bobl a oedd wedi derbyn gofal ac roeddent yn hynod o gadarnhaol ynglŷn ag ansawdd y gofal roeddent wedi'i dderbyn. Dysgais fod rhai aelodau o staff wedi dweud nad oeddent yn credu'n iawn y byddai'n digwydd mewn gwirionedd, hyn yn oed pan oedd y gwaith adeiladu'n mynd rhagddo, ac mae rhywbeth yno ynglŷn â diffyg ymddiriedaeth ac mae angen i ni barhau i ailadeiladu'r ymddiriedaeth honno gyda'n staff a'r cyhoedd y bydd y penderfyniadau rydym yn eu gwneud yn cael eu gwireddu. Ond mae'r staff sy'n gweithio ar y ward yn awr yn cydnabod bellach fod ganddynt gyfleusterau o'r radd flaenaf, maent yn falch o'r gofal y maent yn ei ddarparu, ac yn bwysicach, rwy'n credu y gall pobl gogledd Cymru fod yn hyderus ac ymfalchïo yn ansawdd y gwasanaeth yn dilyn y buddsoddiad y mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi'i wneud.
4. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am gyflwyno system Trawsgrifio Meddyginiaethau ac E-ryddhau ar draws holl ysbytai Cymru? OAQ52577
4. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the roll-out of Medicines Transcribing and E-discharge across all hospitals in Wales? OAQ52577
Yes. Five health boards have the medicines transcribing and e-discharge system live within their hospitals. I'll refer to it from now on as the MTeD system; it'll make things easier and quicker. The two remaining health boards have their own local systems with similar functionality to MTeD in providing discharge information to general practitioners.
Gwnaf. Mae pum bwrdd iechyd wedi rhoi'r system drawsgrifio meddyginiaethau ac e-ryddhau ar waith o fewn eu hysbytai. Byddaf yn cyfeirio ato o hyn ymlaen fel y system MTeD; bydd yn gwneud pethau'n haws ac yn gynt. Mae gan y ddau fwrdd iechyd sy'n weddill eu systemau lleol eu hunain gyda swyddogaethau tebyg i MTeD o ran darparu gwybodaeth am ryddhau cleifion i feddygon teulu.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, and I support what you've been saying about electronic discharge and I welcome the progress that's been made in trying to achieve that. I hear what you say about MTeD, but I've also heard recently that a new, more integrated service is also being developed that will or could ultimately replace MTeD. Is this the case? It does seem a little odd, if a new system is being evolved before MTeD has been even rolled out across Wales, that we are going down this line at this point.
Diolch i chi, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, ac rwy'n cefnogi'r hyn rydych wedi bod yn ei ddweud ynghylch rhyddhau electronig ac rwy'n croesawu'r cynnydd a wnaed wrth geisio cyflawni hynny. Clywaf yr hyn a ddywedwch am MTeD, ond rwyf hefyd wedi clywed yn ddiweddar fod gwasanaeth newydd, mwy integredig yn cael ei ddatblygu a fydd, neu a fyddai'n gallu, disodli'r MTeD yn y pen draw. A yw hyn yn wir? Ymddengys ychydig yn od, os oes system newydd yn cael ei datblygu cyn i'r MTeD gael ei roi ar waith ledled Cymru, ein bod yn dilyn y trywydd hwn ar hyn o bryd.
I think it would be foolish to try and pause MTeD and try to do something different. If you look at what we've done, it's part of the Welsh clinical portal. Practitioners generally are very supportive of it and positive about it—not just practitioners within hospitals and GPs but also within the pharmacy world too—and there's recognition that we are in a better position than England, where they're trying to roll out something with similar functionality, and, in Scotland, whilst they have some tools for electronic discharge, they still have a largely paper-based system. So, I think we need to get on to roll out something that is consistent and then understand how we could develop and improve that in the future, and I have greater ambition still for improving the discharge process from hospital, making greater use of electronic prescribing and sharing of information across our health system and, in particular, to see what more community pharmacy can do to help improve transferring information and people out of hospital to make sure that their medicines are ready for them upon discharge in their own setting.
Credaf y byddai'n ffôl ceisio oedi MTeD a cheisio gwneud rhywbeth gwahanol. Os edrychwch ar yr hyn rydym wedi'i wneud, mae'n rhan o borth clinigol Cymru. Mae ymarferwyr yn gyffredinol yn gefnogol iawn iddo ac yn gadarnhaol yn ei gylch—nid yn unig ymarferwyr mewn ysbytai a meddygon teulu ond o fewn y byd fferylliaeth hefyd—ac mae yna gydnabyddiaeth ein bod mewn sefyllfa well na Lloegr, lle maent yn ceisio cyflwyno rhywbeth sydd â swyddogaethau tebyg, ac yn yr Alban, er bod ganddynt beth offer ar gyfer rhyddhau cleifion yn electronig, system sy'n seiliedig ar bapur sydd ganddynt i raddau helaeth. Felly, rwy'n credu bod angen i ni gyflwyno rhywbeth sy'n gyson ac yna deall sut y byddem yn gallu datblygu a gwella hwnnw yn y dyfodol, ac mae gennyf fwy o uchelgais byth i wella'r broses o ryddhau cleifion o'r ysbyty, gwneud mwy o ddefnydd o bresgripsiynu electronig a rhannu gwybodaeth ar draws ein system iechyd ac yn benodol, gweld beth arall y gall fferylliaeth gymunedol ei wneud i helpu i wella'r broses o drosglwyddo gwybodaeth a phobl o'r ysbyty er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr fod eu meddyginiaethau'n barod ar eu cyfer pan fyddant yn cael eu rhyddhau i'w lleoliadau eu hunain.
5. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i fynd i'r afael â heriau recriwtio yn y GIG? OAQ52575
5. What action is the Welsh Government taking to address recruitment challenges in the Welsh NHS? OAQ52575
We continue to work with health boards and, from October of course, Health Education and Improvement Wales on recruitment challenges with short, medium and long-term action. This includes our successful 'Train. Work. Live.' campaign, increasing medical school places and working to ensure that more Welsh students go on to study to become healthcare professionals.
Rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda byrddau iechyd ac o fis Hydref ymlaen wrth gwrs, Addysg a Gwella Iechyd Cymru ar heriau recriwtio gyda chamau gweithredu tymor byr, tymor canolig a hirdymor. Mae hyn yn cynnwys ein hymgyrch lwyddiannus 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.', cynyddu lleoedd ysgolion meddygol a gweithio i sicrhau bod mwy o fyfyrwyr o Gymru yn astudio er mwyn dod yn weithwyr proffesiynol gofal iechyd.
Thank you for that answer, health Secretary, but one thing you didn't mention was the quality of accommodation for NHS staff, which is very often provided by health boards. The feedback I've received from north Wales staff in recent months has been that the quality of accommodation is absolutely appalling and does discourage people from coming to try working in that part of the country. So, I was wondering what action you are going to take, Cabinet Secretary, to ensure that there are decent standards of accommodation provided for NHS staff where health boards are responsible for accommodation. We have the Welsh housing quality standard, which applies to registered social landlords in Wales, but it doesn't seem to apply as far as health boards are concerned in terms of the quality of their accommodation. What work will you do to make sure that we raise our game in this regard?
Diolch i chi am yr ateb hwnnw, Ysgrifennydd iechyd, ond un peth na wnaethoch sôn amdano oedd ansawdd llety ar gyfer staff y GIG, a ddarperir gan y byrddau iechyd yn aml iawn. Yr adborth rwyf wedi'i dderbyn gan staff yng ngogledd Cymru dros y misoedd diwethaf yw bod ansawdd y llety yn gwbl warthus a bod hynny'n atal pobl rhag ceisio dod i weithio yn y rhan honno o'r wlad. Felly, roeddwn yn meddwl tybed pa gamau rydych yn bwriadu eu cymryd, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, i sicrhau bod llety gweddus yn cael ei ddarparu ar gyfer staff y GIG lle mae byrddau iechyd yn gyfrifol am lety. Mae gennym safon ansawdd tai Cymru, sy'n berthnasol i landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig yng Nghymru, ond nid yw'n ymddangos ei bod yn berthnasol i ansawdd llety byrddau iechyd. Pa waith rydych yn bwriadu ei wneud i sicrhau ein bod yn codi safonau yn hyn o beth?
Well, in north Wales, I'm aware of ongoing conversations about having to improve the quality of their accommodation and whether or not the health service itself needs to provide it. Or there could be a partnership, for example, with registered social landlords, housing associations to help provide investment into a facility and better and more proactive management of it. So, it is an issue that I am very well aware of and I'm looking for further action. And, of course, we recognise that, unlike some parts of the UK, we continue to provide free accommodation for doctors in the foundation 1 phase as well. So, I recognise the challenges. Improving the offer should mean that we're an even more attractive place for people to come and commit their career.
Wel, yng ngogledd Cymru, rwy'n ymwybodol o sgyrsiau parhaus ynglŷn â'r angen i wella ansawdd eu llety a ph'un a oes angen i'r gwasanaeth iechyd ei hun ei ddarparu neu beidio. Neu gellid creu partneriaeth, er enghraifft, gyda landlordiaid cymdeithasol cofrestredig a chymdeithasau tai i helpu i fuddsoddi mewn cyfleuster a sicrhau ei fod yn cael ei reoli'n well ac yn fwy rhagweithiol. Felly, mae'n broblem rwy'n ymwybodol iawn ohoni ac rwy'n bwriadu cymryd camau gweithredu pellach. Ac wrth gwrs, rydym yn cydnabod ein bod, yn wahanol i rai rhannau o'r DU, yn parhau i ddarparu llety am ddim ar gyfer meddygon yng nghyfnod sylfaen 1 yn ogystal. Felly, rwy'n cydnabod yr heriau. Dylai gwella'r cynnig olygu ein bod yn lle hyd yn oed yn fwy deniadol i bobl sydd eisiau dod ac ymrwymo i yrfa yma.
Cabinet Secretary, I welcome the fact that the numbers of nurses, midwives and health visitors are at a record high here in Wales, and I understand that the extension of the ‘Train. Work. Live.’ campaign to registered nurses has generated a significant amount of interest from qualified nurses considering a career in Wales, and that this has led to some nurses taking up a post alongside those who have been recruited directly by NHS organisations. What's the Welsh Government doing to track the success stories of ‘Train. Work. Live.’ to learn more about what led them to choose a career in Wales, to build on this success?
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod niferoedd nyrsys, bydwragedd ac ymwelwyr iechyd yn uwch nag erioed yma yng Nghymru, a deallaf fod ymestyn y rhaglen 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.' i nyrsys cofrestredig wedi creu llawer o ddiddordeb ymysg nyrsys cymwysedig sy'n ystyried gyrfa yng Nghymru, a bod hyn wedi arwain at rai nyrsys yn cael swyddi ochr yn ochr â'r rheini a recriwtiwyd yn uniongyrchol gan sefydliadau'r GIG. Beth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i olrhain straeon llwyddiant 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.' er mwyn dysgu mwy am yr hyn a wnaeth iddynt ddewis gyrfa yng Nghymru, er mwyn adeiladu ar y llwyddiant hwn?
I'm happy that you've highlighted the nurse recruitment part of ‘Train. Work. Live.’ and that it isn't just a campaign for GP or specialist doctor recruitment. Actually, the feedback we've already had from people who have come in to Wales as a result of ‘Train. Work. Live.’—a number of whom I met at the Royal College of Nursing congress in Belfast—is that the campaign is visible and high-profile in the nursing world, and we'll be definitely using real stories of nurses who have made choices to come to Wales on the back of that campaign. You can see some of the ongoing success in our approach, because there are UK-wide challenges on a range recruitment issues, but the nurse vacancy rate in NHS Wales is approximately 5 per cent. In England, it's 11.8 per cent. So, we're in a better position, but the challenge is to make sure that we don't lose sight of where we are, and that we continue to improve. I actually think that when you talk to nurses themselves, they'll tell you what other nurses themselves think of their journey, to make sure that's a story they can believe in. So, we will definitely take up the point that you raise in the continuation of our campaign.
Rwy'n falch eich bod wedi tynnu sylw at y rhan recriwtio nyrsys o 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.' a'r ffaith nad ymgyrch i recriwtio meddygon teulu neu feddygon arbenigol yn unig ydyw. Mewn gwirionedd, mae'r adborth rydym eisoes wedi'i gael gan bobl sydd wedi dod i Gymru o ganlyniad i 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.'—a chyfarfûm â nifer ohonynt yng nghynhadledd y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol ym Melffast—yn dweud bod yr ymgyrch yn weladwy ac yn uchel ei phroffil yn y byd nyrsio, a byddwn yn sicr yn defnyddio straeon go iawn am nyrsys sydd wedi gwneud y penderfyniad i ddod i Gymru yn sgil yr ymgyrch honno. Gallwch weld peth o'r llwyddiant parhaus yn ein dull gweithredu, oherwydd mae yna heriau'n wynebu amrywiaeth o faterion recriwtio ledled y DU, ond tua 5 y cant yw'r gyfradd swyddi nyrsio gwag yn GIG Cymru. Yn Lloegr, mae'n 11.8 y cant. Felly, rydym mewn sefyllfa well, ond yr her yw gwneud yn siŵr nad ydym yn colli golwg ar ein sefyllfa, a'n bod yn parhau i wella. Mewn gwirionedd, pe baech yn siarad â'r nyrsys eu hunain, rwy'n credu y byddent yn dweud wrthych beth y mae nyrsys eraill yn ei feddwl am eu taith, er mwyn gwneud yn siŵr ei bod yn stori y gallant gredu ynddi. Felly, byddwn yn bendant yn codi'r pwynt rydych yn ei godi wrth barhau â'r ymgyrch.
Cabinet Secretary, I also welcome the ‘Train. Work. Live.’ scheme, but also the bursary, and I welcome very much the fact that the bursary is still being kept here in Wales while the Tories in England have abolished it. That is critical to seeing more Welsh citizens coming into the profession. And it's not just nursing, of course; it's other allied health professions as well. Can you reassure me that that bursary will continue, and can you expand upon it? Because as you have highlighted, we need more nurses and more other health professionals in our hospitals, in our services, to ensure that we can deliver those services, so we don't close beds.
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, rwyf finnau hefyd yn croesawu'r cynllun 'Hyfforddi. Gweithio. Byw.', yn ogystal â'r fwrsariaeth, a chroesawaf y ffaith bod y fwrsariaeth yn dal i gael ei chadw yma yng Nghymru er bod y Torïaid yn Lloegr wedi'i dileu. Mae hynny'n allweddol er mwyn sicrhau bod mwy o ddinasyddion Cymru yn dod i mewn i'r proffesiwn. Ac nid yw'n ymwneud â nyrsio yn unig, wrth gwrs; mae'n ymwneud â phroffesiynau eraill perthynol i iechyd yn ogystal. A allwch chi roi sicrwydd i mi y bydd y fwrsariaeth yn parhau, ac a allwch chi ymhelaethu arni? Oherwydd fel y dywedoch chi, rydym angen mwy o nyrsys a mwy o weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol eraill yn ein hysbytai, yn ein gwasanaethau, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gallu darparu'r gwasanaethau hynny, fel nad ydym yn gorfod cael gwared ar welyau.
I recognise the point you make about the bursary, so I've made annual choices to roll forward the bursary. The consultation has now ended. We've had, I think, over 40 different organisations and a number individuals who have responded. So, I'll get a summary of the consultation and I'll then have some decisions to make over the autumn about a longer term arrangement so we don't need to make an annual choice, but I'm determined that we continue to invest in supporting nurses to come and study and to give them the opportunity and expectation to work in NHS Wales afterwards.
We've seen the impact of removing the bursary in England, not just the numbers that are coming off the register, but in particular in specialist areas as well. Learning disability nurses are a good example. It's an area that is often not talked about, but the reality is that learning disability nurses tend to be mature students, more so than other parts of the nursing family, and in England, with the removal of the bursary, there's been a catastrophic fall in the number of people undertaking learning disability nursing qualifications. I know that some providers have closed their courses. Now, that's a problem for England in the here and now, but it's actually a risk for us as well because as we maintain our numbers, there's every chance that learning disability nurses in Wales will be pursued by other parts of our healthcare system. So, you can see the risks, you can see the damage that's being done, and I would urge the Government for England to think again about the course it's taking to support nurses and other healthcare professionals to reintroduce a bursary, and I hope that you and other Members in the Chamber will support the decision I eventually reach on how to continue to support nurses and other therapists and healthcare professionals to study here in Wales.
Rwy'n cydnabod y pwynt a wnewch am y fwrsariaeth, felly rwyf wedi gwneud penderfyniadau blynyddol i barhau â'r fwrsariaeth. Mae'r ymgynghoriad wedi dod i ben bellach. Rwy'n credu ein bod wedi cael ymatebion gan dros 40 o wahanol sefydliadau a nifer o unigolion. Felly, byddaf yn cael crynodeb o'r ymgynghoriad ac yna bydd gennyf benderfyniadau i'w gwneud dros yr hydref mewn perthynas â threfniant mwy hirdymor fel nad oes angen i ni wneud penderfyniad yn flynyddol, ond rwy'n benderfynol o sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i fuddsoddi er mwyn cynorthwyo nyrsys i ddod i astudio yma ac i roi cyfle iddynt a disgwyliad o waith yn GIG Cymru yn dilyn hynny.
Rydym wedi gweld effaith diddymu'r fwrsariaeth yn Lloegr, nid yn unig ar y niferoedd sy'n dod oddi ar y gofrestr, ond mewn meysydd arbenigol yn arbennig. Mae nyrsys anableddau dysgu yn enghraifft dda. Mae'n faes nad yw'n cael ei drafod yn aml, ond y realiti yw bod nyrsys anableddau dysgu yn tueddu i fod yn fyfyrwyr aeddfed, yn fwy felly nag mewn rhannau eraill o'r teulu nyrsio, ac yn Lloegr, gyda diddymu'r fwrsariaeth, cafwyd gostyngiad trychinebus yn nifer y bobl sy'n anelu i gael cymwysterau nyrsio anableddau dysgu. Gwn fod rhai darparwyr wedi cau eu cyrsiau. Nawr, problem i Loegr yw honno ar hyn o bryd, ond mae'n risg i ni hefyd mewn gwirionedd oherwydd wrth i ni gynnal ein niferoedd, mae'n bosibl iawn y bydd nyrsys anableddau dysgu yng Nghymru yn cael eu denu gan rannau eraill o'n system gofal iechyd. Felly, gallwch weld y risgiau, gallwch weld y difrod sy'n cael ei wneud, a buaswn yn annog Llywodraeth Lloegr i feddwl eto am y trywydd y mae'n ei ddilyn i gefnogi nyrsys a gweithwyr proffesiynol gofal iechyd eraill ac i ailgyflwyno bwrsariaeth, a gobeithio y byddwch chi ac Aelodau eraill yn y Siambr yn cefnogi'r penderfyniad y byddaf yn ei wneud yn y pen draw mewn perthynas â sut i barhau i gynorthwyo nyrsys a therapyddion a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol eraill i astudio yma yng Nghymru.
6. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am hyrwyddo iechyd corfforol ymysg pobl ifanc? OAQ52589
6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the promotion of physical health among young people? OAQ52589
We deliver a number of approaches to support physical health. We have targeted programmes such as the daily mile, legislation through delivery of an obesity strategy and minimum unit pricing, service provision such as smoking cessation and weight management, guidelines through nutritional standards in schools and planning through health impact assessments.
Rydym yn darparu nifer o ddulliau i gefnogi iechyd corfforol. Mae gennym raglenni wedi'u targedu megis y filltir ddyddiol, deddfwriaeth drwy ddarparu strategaeth ordewdra ac isafswm pris fesul uned, darpariaethau fel gwasanaethau rhoi'r gorau i ysmygu a rheoli pwysau, canllawiau drwy safonau maeth mewn ysgolion a chynlluniau drwy asesiadau effaith ar iechyd.
Diolch yn fawr am yr ateb. Roedd hwn yn achos o orfod geirio cwestiwn yn ofalus iawn, oherwydd petaswn i wedi gofyn fel roeddwn i eisiau ynglŷn â gweithgaredd corfforol yn hytrach na iechyd corfforol, mi fuasai'r cwestiwn wedi mynd i Weinidog arall, ond, wir, i chi'r mae'r cwestiwn yma achos, wrth gwrs, mae hybu gweithgaredd corfforol ac ymarfer corff yn allweddol i hybu iechyd. Wrth i ni aros am adroddiad beiddgar, gobeithio, gan y pwyllgor iechyd yma yn y Cynulliad, a ydy’r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yn cytuno efo fi ar fater o egwyddor, sef bod angen edrych ar sut i ddefnyddio cyllidebau iechyd i fuddsoddi mewn gweithgaredd corfforol? Achos os ydym ni’n sôn am atal afiechydon a gwneud yr NHS yn wasanaeth iechyd yn hytrach na gwasanaeth salwch, mae’n rhaid gwneud yn siŵr bod pob ffynhonnell ariannol ar gael i greu’r cynlluniau a rhaglenni iechyd hirdymor a darparu’r isadeiledd ar gyfer iechyd yr ydym ni ei angen i’n gwneud ni’n genedl fwy iach. Achos bydd gwneud y genedl yma’n fwy iach yn arbed arian i ni yn y pen draw hefyd.
Thank you for that response, this was a case of having to word a question very carefully, because if I had asked the question that I wanted to ask on physical activity rather than physical health, the question would have gone to another Minister, but it was directed at you because of course promoting physical activity and exercise is crucial in promoting physical health. As we await the hopefully innovative report from the health committee here at the Assembly, does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me on a matter of principle, namely that we need to look at how we use health budgets to invest in physical activity? Because if we are talking about preventing ill health and making the NHS a health service rather than an illness service, we must ensure that all funding sources are available to create plans and programmes in the long term to promote health and to provide the infrastructure for health that we require in order to make us a healthier nation. Because making the nation healthier will ultimately save money as well.
I recognise the broad points you make and I don't think we'll find ourselves with any disagreement on the principles. I look forward to the committee's report, and you'll hear more from the Government over the course of this autumn. You know that we're committed, not just by legislation, but we've made public commitments about our new healthy weight strategy, available for consultation this autumn as well. The health budget of course has a role to play in the way we deploy resources in promoting physical activity and we are, after all, the largest employer in the country with over 90,000 directly employed staff within the service. So, we should be an exemplar ourselves about the opportunities that we provide and the messages we provide for our staff in their roles as employees, as well as their interaction with the population.
This is partly going back, if you like, to the important point about the broader cultural changes we need to see take place, and to renormalise areas of physical activity. And that does mean that we have to work across the Government with different portfolios, but actually to work with people in communities as well, and actually understand how we make physical activity easier for them to undertake, rather than saying, 'You should do this; it's a good thing for you to do'. We actually need to make it easier for them to do that as well. So, you'll hear more from the Government over the course of the autumn about what we propose to do, and I look forward to scrutiny and suggestions, indeed, about how we might choose to do that and, hopefully, achieve that in the most positive manner.
Rwy'n cydnabod y pwyntiau cyffredinol rydych yn eu gwneud ac nid wyf yn credu y byddwn yn anghytuno ar yr egwyddorion. Edrychaf ymlaen at adroddiad y pwyllgor, a byddwch yn clywed mwy gan y Llywodraeth dros yr hydref. Gwyddoch ein bod yn ymrwymedig, nid yn unig i ddeddfwriaeth, ond rydym wedi gwneud ymrwymiadau cyhoeddus am ein strategaeth newydd ar bwysau iach, a fydd yn destun ymgynghoriad yn ystod yr hydref hwn yn ogystal. Wrth gwrs, mae gan y gyllideb iechyd rôl i'w chwarae yn y ffordd y byddwn yn defnyddio adnoddau i hyrwyddo gweithgarwch corfforol, a ni wedi'r cyfan yw'r cyflogwr mwyaf yn y wlad gyda dros 90,000 o staff yn cael eu cyflogi'n uniongyrchol o fewn y gwasanaeth. Felly, dylem fod yn esiampl ein hunain o ran y cyfleoedd rydym yn eu darparu a'r negeseuon rydym yn eu rhoi i'n staff yn eu rolau fel gweithwyr, yn ogystal â'u hymwneud â'r boblogaeth.
Daw hyn â mi yn ôl, i raddau, os mynnwch chi, at y pwynt pwysig am y newidiadau diwylliannol ehangach sydd angen eu gweld yn digwydd, ynghyd ag ailnormaleiddio meysydd o weithgarwch corfforol. Ac mae hynny'n golygu bod yn rhaid i ni weithio ar draws y Llywodraeth gyda phortffolios gwahanol, yn ogystal â gweithio gyda phobl yn y cymunedau hefyd, a deall sut y gallwn wneud gweithgarwch corfforol yn haws iddynt mewn gwirionedd, yn hytrach na dweud, 'Dylech wneud hyn; mae'n beth da i chi ei wneud'. Mewn gwirionedd, mae angen i ni ei wneud yn haws iddynt. Felly, byddwch yn clywed mwy gan y Llywodraeth dros yr hydref ynglŷn â'r hyn y bwriadwn ei wneud, ac edrychaf ymlaen at waith craffu ac awgrymiadau, yn wir, ynglŷn â sut y gallem ddewis gwneud hynny a'i gyflawni yn y modd mwyaf cadarnhaol, rwy'n gobeithio.
Outdoor education can play an important role in encouraging our young people to get active and also give them the skills and confidence to do so. I know that you spoke just now about some of the cross-Government work that you are doing, but particularly with your colleague Kirsty, what are you doing there in order to try and promote the benefits of outdoor education?
Gall addysg awyr agored chwarae rhan bwysig yn annog ein pobl ifanc i fod yn heini a gall hefyd roi'r sgiliau a'r hyder iddynt wneud hynny. Gwn eich bod newydd sôn yn awr am beth o'r gwaith trawslywodraethol rydych yn ei wneud, ond yn benodol gyda'ch cyd-Aelod Kirsty, beth rydych yn ei wneud yno er mwyn ceisio hyrwyddo manteision addysg awyr agored?
I know that your previous profession was in the secondary education tier, but actually, when you look at what we, in particular, are trying to do, patterns for life are often set in early years and in primary school, and there's lots of outdoor education in almost all the primary schools that I have seen and visited. It's a consistent part of what they look to achieve. And not only that, but with the daily mile, we have 303 schools at the start of this school year signed up to do the daily mile, and there's something about shifting habits so that it's normal to do those things as opposed to making a special effort to do it. We're seeing more of that coming through, not just with curriculum reform, but the measures that I think we'll see coming through from the Government in what I think we'll be able to agree and then get on with from the autumn onwards. So, I'm optimistic about what we'll do, but the challenge is whether we can persuade the public to make different and continuing choices.
Gwn fod eich proffesiwn blaenorol yn yr haen addysg uwchradd, ond mewn gwirionedd, pan fyddwch yn edrych ar yr hyn rydym ni, yn benodol, yn ceisio ei wneud, mae patrymau bywyd yn aml yn cael eu gosod yn ystod y blynyddoedd cynnar ac yn yr ysgol gynradd, ac mae llawer iawn o addysg awyr agored ym mron pob un o'r ysgolion cynradd rwyf wedi'u gweld ac wedi ymweld â hwy. Mae'n rhan gyson o'r hyn y maent yn ceisio ei gyflawni. Ac nid yn unig hynny, ond mewn perthynas â'r filltir ddyddiol, mae 303 o ysgolion wedi cofrestru ar ddechrau'r flwyddyn ysgol hon i wneud y filltir ddyddiol, ac mae rhywbeth ynglŷn â newid arferion fel ei bod yn normal i wneud y pethau hynny yn hytrach na bod angen ymdrech arbennig i'w gwneud. Rydym yn gweld mwy o hynny, nid yn unig gyda diwygio'r cwricwlwm, ond gyda'r mesurau y bydd y Llywodraeth yn eu cyflwyno ac y gallwn gytuno arnynt a bwrw ymlaen â hwy o'r hydref hwn ymlaen. Felly, rwy'n optimistaidd ynglŷn â'r hyn y byddwn yn ei wneud, ond yr her yw perswadio'r cyhoedd i wneud penderfyniadau gwahanol a pharhaus.
Tynnwyd cwestiwn 7 [OAQ52570] yn ôl. Cwestiwn 8—David Melding.
Question 7 [OAQ52570] is withdrawn. Question 8—David Melding.
8. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am argaeledd gwasanaethau i gefnogi plant ag arthritis yng Nghanol De Cymru? OAQ52597
8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the availability of services to support children with arthritis in South Wales Central? OAQ52597
We are refreshing the service development and commissioning directive for arthritis and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. This sets out Welsh Government's vision for planning and delivering high-quality services and support for people living with these conditions and this includes children and young people with musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis.
Rydym yn adnewyddu'r gyfarwyddeb ddatblygu a chomisiynu gwasanaeth ar gyfer arthritis a chyflyrau cyhyrysgerbydol cronig. Mae'n nodi gweledigaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer cynllunio a darparu gwasanaethau a chymorth o ansawdd uchel ar gyfer pobl sy'n byw gyda'r cyflyrau hyn yn cynnwys plant a phobl ifanc sydd â chyflyrau cyhyrysgerbydol gan gynnwys arthritis.
Minister, you'll know that Arthritis Care merged with Arthritis Research UK last year and I understand that in Wales, the charity will now be known as Cymru Versus Arthritis. I'm sure we all commend that objective. Regarding provision in south Wales, I am aware that the paediatric rheumatology provision was included in the annual financial plan for the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and that committee will be developing a potential service specification model for an enhanced paediatric rheumatology service. Can you give us an update on where that work is? It's really essential, because succession action will be needed as soon as possible due to the impending retirement of the rheumatologist who currently undertakes paediatric service, part time—though he's not a specialist specifically in paediatrics, but has extended his work to cover that area with great distinction.
Weinidog, fe fyddwch yn gwybod bod Gofal Arthritis wedi uno ag Ymchwil Arthritis y DU y llynedd, a deallaf y bydd yr elusen yng Nghymru yn cael ei galw yn Cymru yn Erbyn Arthritis o hyn ymlaen. Rwy'n siŵr ein bod ni i gyd yn cymeradwyo'r amcan hwnnw. Mewn perthynas â'r ddarpariaeth yn ne Cymru, rwy'n ymwybodol fod y ddarpariaeth rewmatoleg bediatrig wedi cael ei chynnwys yn y cynllun ariannol blynyddol ar gyfer Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru ac y bydd y pwyllgor hwnnw'n datblygu model o fanyleb gwasanaeth posibl ar gyfer gwasanaeth rhewmatoleg bediatrig estynedig. A allwch chi roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i ni ynglŷn â ble mae'r gwaith hwnnw arni? Mae'n wirioneddol hanfodol, oherwydd bydd angen gweithredu i sicrhau olyniaeth cyn gynted â phosibl o ganlyniad i'r ffaith bod y rhewmatolegydd sy'n darparu'r gwasanaeth pediatrig ar hyn o bryd, ar sail ran-amser, ar fin ymddeol—er nad yw'n arbenigwr mewn pediatreg yn benodol, mae wedi ymestyn ei waith i gwmpasu'r maes hwnnw yn rhagorol.
Indeed. I agree entirely. Can I commend the work of the new merged organisation—I'm sure it will do very good work in campaigning and policy development as well—but also, Dr Jeremy Camilleri, who will be moving on at some time in the near future? He's made his intentions clear, but it would be worth saying that, because of the advance notice that we have had, the health board is going to work closely now with the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and other partners to ensure that we do have the delivery of a sustainable service.
David, you asked me about where we are with progress on the updating of the service development and commissioning directive, first published way back in 2007. Now, this review will consider a range of arthritis and musculoskeletal pain, including juvenile arthritic conditions, and we'll make sure that this refresh takes into account the recommendations that have been made by the British Society for Rheumatology and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society report, which was published only at the end of 2016.
So, our aim is—. And I say this as somebody who actually has lived for many years with a condition of ankylosing spondylitis, since I was a young man, so I'm a living, walking, breathing example of somebody who's had the right diagnosis, the right treatment, the right physiotherapy and allied professionals. I challenge anybody to walk up the highest mountain peaks with me now, whereas at one time I could hardly walk down the corridor. But that is the aim: to focus on helping people of all ages, including children and young people, to develop the skills to enable them to manage their conditions, and, where appropriate, increase their ability to stay and work and live the lives they want to live.
So, we've set the steering group up, chaired by Alun Morgan, the deputy director of therapies for Cardiff and Vale university health board. He's overseeing the work. He's brought together clinical experts in various fields, including arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, as well as third sector bodies and, importantly, like me, patient representatives. So, the outline document has been drafted. Group members are in the process now of populating it with information from their specific areas of expertise. So, we're currently scoping demand for the service. We're carrying out a workshop in October to establish preferred models going forward, and we hope to bring it forward, then, in the autumn, to consider that and present our items for prioritisation. So, the work is well in hand, and I thank him for raising this important matter.
Yn wir. Cytunaf yn llwyr. A gaf fi gymeradwyo gwaith y sefydliad newydd sydd wedi uno—rwy'n siŵr y bydd yn gwneud gwaith da iawn yn ymgyrchu a datblygu polisi—ond hefyd gwaith Dr Jeremy Camilleri, a fydd yn symud ymlaen ar ryw bwynt yn y dyfodol agos? Mae wedi gwneud ei fwriadau'n glir, ond mae'n werth dweud, oherwydd y rhybudd a gawsom ymlaen llaw, y bydd y bwrdd iechyd yn gweithio'n agos yn awr gyda Phwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru a phartneriaid eraill i sicrhau ein bod yn darparu gwasanaeth cynaliadwy.
David, fe wnaethoch fy holi ynglŷn â'r cynnydd rydym yn ei wneud ar ddiweddaru'r gyfarwyddeb ddatblygu a chomisiynu gwasanaeth, a gyhoeddwyd yn gyntaf yn ôl yn 2007. Nawr, bydd yr adolygiad hwn yn ystyried ystod o fathau o boen arthritis a phoen cyhyrysgerbydol, gan gynnwys cyflyrau arthritig mewn plant, a byddwn yn sicrhau bod y diweddariad yn ystyried yr argymhellion a wnaed yn adroddiad y Gymdeithas Brydeinig Rhewmatoleg a'r Gymdeithas Arthritis Gwynegol Genedlaethol, a gyhoeddwyd ar ddiwedd 2016.
Felly, ein nod yw—. A dywedaf hyn fel rhywun sydd wedi byw am flynyddoedd lawer gyda'r cyflwr spondylitis ymasiol er pan oeddwn yn ddyn ifanc, felly rwy'n enghraifft fyw a gweithredol o rywun sydd wedi cael y diagnosis cywir, y driniaeth gywir, y ffisiotherapi a'r gweithwyr proffesiynol perthynol cywir. Heriaf unrhyw un i gerdded i gopa'r mynyddoedd uchaf gyda mi yn awr, ond ar un adeg prin y gallwn gerdded i lawr y coridor. Ond dyna'r nod: canolbwyntio ar helpu pobl o bob oedran, gan gynnwys plant a phobl ifanc, i ddatblygu sgiliau i'w galluogi i reoli eu cyflyrau, a lle bo'n briodol, i gynyddu eu gallu i aros a gweithio a byw y bywydau y maent eisiau eu byw.
Felly, rydym wedi sefydlu grŵp llywio, dan gadeiryddiaeth Alun Morgan, dirprwy gyfarwyddwr therapïau bwrdd iechyd prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro. Mae'n goruchwylio'r gwaith. Mae wedi dod ag arbenigwyr clinigol mewn meysydd amrywiol at ei gilydd, gan gynnwys arthritis a chyflyrau cyhyrysgerbydol, yn ogystal â chyrff trydydd sector ac yn bwysicach, cynrychiolwyr cleifion, fel fi. Felly, mae'r ddogfen amlinellol wedi cael ei drafftio. Mae aelodau'r grŵp yn awr yn y broses o'i llenwi gyda gwybodaeth o'u meysydd arbenigedd penodol. Felly, ar hyn o bryd, rydym yn cwmpasu'r galw am y gwasanaeth. Rydym yn cynnal gweithdy ym mis Hydref i sefydlu pa fodelau a ffafrir wrth symud ymlaen, ac rydym yn gobeithio ei gyflwyno wedyn, yn yr hydref, er mwyn ei ystyried a chyflwyno ein heitemau ar gyfer blaenoriaethu. Felly, mae'r gwaith yn bendant ar y gweill, a diolch iddo am godi'r mater pwysig hwn.
Ac yn olaf, cwestiwn 9—John Griffiths.
And finally, question 9—John Griffiths.
9. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru'n eu cymryd i annog pobl i gofrestru fel rhoddwyr mêr esgyrn i gefnogi'r rhai sydd angen trawsblaniad mêr esgyrn? OAQ52587
9. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to encourage people to register as bone-marrow donors to support those who are in need of a bone-marrow transplant? OAQ52587
Thank you for the question. The Welsh bone marrow donor registry is operated by the Welsh Blood Service. The Welsh Blood Service actively encourages donors from all ethnic backgrounds to join the panel and asks blood donors aged 17 to 30 if they would like to register, as this age group offers transplant patients the best chance of survival.
Diolch i chi am y cwestiwn. Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am weithredu cofrestrfa rhoddwyr mêr esgyrn Cymru. Mae Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cymru yn mynd ati'n weithredol i annog rhoddwyr o bob cefndir ethnig i ymuno â'r panel ac yn gofyn i roddwyr gwaed rhwng 17 a 30 oed a fyddent yn hoffi cofrestru, gan mai'r grŵp oedran hwn sy'n cynnig y gobaith gorau o oroesi i gleifion trawsblaniad.
Thanks for that, Cabinet Secretary. Marley Nicholls is a six-year-old boy in Newport East. He has a rare blood condition, aplastic anaemia, where his bone marrow and stem cells do not produce enough blood cells. He needs a bone marrow transplant, but nobody in his family is a match, and, indeed, nobody on the worldwide register is a suitable match either. So, they've launched a campaign to encourage as many people as possible to register as bone marrow donors and to have their bone marrow tested. Obviously, that hopefully will eventually benefit Marley, and, indeed, others waiting for a bone marrow transplant, but there are no guarantees at this stage. Cabinet Secretary, will you add your voice to their campaign to encourage as many people as possible to find out whether they might be a suitable match, and indeed to register as bone marrow donors? Are there any further steps Welsh Government might take in addition to what's already in place to encourage people to register?
Diolch am hynny, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet. Bachgen chwe mlwydd oed yn Nwyrain Casnewydd yw Marley Nicholls. Mae ganddo gyflwr gwaed prin, anemia aplastig, lle nad yw ei fêr esgyrn na'i gelloedd bonyn yn cynhyrchu digon o gelloedd gwaed. Mae angen cael trawsblaniad mêr esgyrn, ond nid oes neb yn ei deulu yn cydweddu, ac yn wir, nid oes neb ar y gofrestr fyd-eang yn cydweddu'n addas chwaith. Felly, maent wedi lansio ymgyrch i annog cynifer o bobl â phosibl i gofrestru fel rhoddwyr mêr esgyrn a phrofi eu mêr esgyrn. Yn amlwg, gobeithio y bydd Marley yn gallu elwa ar hynny yn y pen draw, ac eraill yn wir sy'n aros am drawsblaniad mêr esgyrn, ond nid oes unrhyw sicrwydd ar hyn o bryd. Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, a wnewch chi ychwanegu eich llais at eu hymgyrch i annog cynifer o bobl â phosibl i ganfod a ydynt yn cydweddu'n addas, ac yn wir, i gofrestru fel rhoddwyr mêr esgyrn? A oes unrhyw gamau pellach y gallai Llywodraeth Cymru eu cymryd yn ychwanegol at yr hyn sydd eisoes ar waith i annog pobl i gofrestru?
I'm aware of that particular instance, and I know that you've played a part in supporting the family in their awareness-raising campaign, and I wish them every success in finding a donor for their child. I've visited the Welsh Blood Service and I've seen how the registry works, and it is an amazing feat, actually, to have a worldwide register to potentially find donors in different parts of the world. Now, the challenge is that because of the age range where we want donors to come forward, from 17 to 30, traditional channels aren't always successful. So, they are looking again at social media in particular, and interaction there to encourage people to come forward. The fortunate point is that many people in the younger part of their life are quite altruistic and want to do things. So, there are opportunities to look at that and take it forward. It's not just an issue for us in Wales; it's across the UK and more broadly as well, because we do operate as part of the global registry. I'm happy to look at ways in which the Government can support the Welsh Blood Service to undertake that and to make sure that more and more of us are able to help others.
Rwy'n ymwybodol o'r achos penodol hwnnw, a gwn eich bod wedi chwarae rhan yn cefnogi'r teulu yn eu hymgyrch i godi ymwybyddiaeth, a dymunaf bob llwyddiant iddynt wrth geisio dod o hyd i roddwr i'w plentyn. Rwyf wedi ymweld â Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cymru ac rwyf wedi gweld sut y mae'r gofrestrfa'n gweithio, ac mae'n gamp anhygoel, mewn gwirionedd, i gael cofrestr fyd-eang lle gellir dod o hyd i roddwyr mewn gwahanol rannau o'r byd. Nawr, oherwydd yr ystod oedran ar gyfer chwilio am roddwyr, rhwng 17 a 30, mae'n her am nad yw llwybrau traddodiadol yn llwyddiannus bob amser. Felly, maent yn edrych eto, ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn benodol, ac yn rhyngweithio arnynt er mwyn annog pobl i gofrestru. Y pwynt ffodus yw bod llawer o bobl ifanc yn eithaf anhunanol ac eisiau gwneud pethau. Felly, mae yna gyfleoedd i fanteisio ar yr agwedd honno. Nid mater i ni yng Nghymru yn unig ydyw; mae'n digwydd ar draws y DU ac yn fwy eang hefyd, oherwydd rydym yn gweithredu fel rhan o'r gofrestrfa fyd-eang. Rwy'n hapus i edrych ar ffyrdd y gall y Llywodraeth gynorthwyo Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cymru i wneud hynny a sicrhau bod mwy a mwy ohonom yn gallu helpu eraill.
Diolch i'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.
Yr eitem nesaf, felly, yw'r cwestiwn amserol—Neil McEvoy.
The next item, therefore, is the topical question—Neil McEvoy.
1. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet gefnogi'r gwyddonwyr sy'n ceisio atebion gan Magnox Cyf. ynghylch nifer a graddau'r damweiniau pyllau oeri yn Hinkley Point A a allai fod wedi arwain at symiau sylweddol o wraniwm a phlwtoniwm yn y mwd sy'n cael ei ddympio gan EDF ym Mae Caerdydd? 211
1. Will the Cabinet Secretary support the scientists seeking answers from Magnox Ltd as to the number and extent of cooling pond accidents at Hinkley Point A that could have resulted in significant amounts of uranium and plutonium in the mud being dumped by EDF in Cardiff Bay? 211
I'm unable to comment on matters relating to the marine licence for the dredging and deposit of material from Hinkley Point C due to an ongoing legal challenge seeking an injunction to suspend the marine licence.
Ni allaf wneud sylwadau ar faterion sy'n ymwneud â'r drwydded forol ar gyfer carthu a gwaredu deunydd o Hinkley Point C oherwydd her gyfreithiol sydd ar y gweill i geisio gwaharddeb i atal y drwydded forol.
In the 1960s, Hinkley Point A was a nuclear bomb factory. In the financial year of 1968-9, half the nuclear core was removed to provide weapons-grade plutonium. The system was designed to remove only one fifth of the core in any given year. The rush was the result of the international non-proliferation treaty coming into force in 1970. It has been admitted by Magnox Ltd that there were cooling pond accidents. We must find out the extent of these accidents. Given that there could be uranium and plutonium hot particles that would not have been detected by the gamma spectrometry testing carried out, will the Cabinet Secretary request that Natural Resources Wales suspends the dumping licence and carries out alpha spectrometry and mass spectrometry to be able to say for sure exactly what is in the mud—please?
Yn y 1960au, roedd Hinkley Point A yn ffatri bomiau niwclear. Yn y flwyddyn ariannol 1968-9, cafodd hanner y craidd niwclear ei dynnu i ddarparu plwtoniwm o safon cynhyrchu arfau. Cynlluniwyd y system i dynnu un rhan o bump o'r craidd yn unig mewn unrhyw gyfnod o flwyddyn. Y rheswm dros y rhuthr oedd bod y cytundeb rhyngwladol i atal rhag twf arfogaeth niwclear yn dod i rym yn 1970. Mae Magnox Cyf wedi cyfaddef fod damweiniau wedi digwydd yn y pwll oeri. Rhaid inni ganfod maint y damweiniau hyn. O gofio y gallai fod yna ronynnau poeth o wraniwm a phlwtoniwm na chafodd eu darganfod gan y profion sbectrometreg gama a gynhaliwyd, a wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ofyn i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru atal y drwydded ddympio a chynnal profion sbectrometreg alffa a sbectrometreg màs i allu dweud yn bendant beth yn union sydd yn y mwd—os gwelwch yn dda?
I answered the Member and made it very clear that I'm unable to make a comment at the current time because of the ongoing legal process. What I can reiterate is what I've previously said in this Chamber during a debate last term, and that was that the recent National Assembly Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee report showed that Natural Resources Wales made their determination based on expert advice. It also confirmed that all tests and assessments concluded that the material is within safe limits, poses no radiological risks to human health or the environment, and is safe and suitable to be disposed of at sea.
Atebais yr Aelod a'i gwneud yn glir iawn na allaf wneud sylw ar hyn o bryd oherwydd y broses gyfreithiol sy'n mynd rhagddi. Yr hyn y gallaf ei adrodd yw'r hyn rwyf wedi'i ddweud o'r blaen yn y Siambr hon yn ystod dadl y tymor diwethaf, sef bod adroddiad diweddar Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol yn dangos bod Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru wedi gwneud eu penderfyniad yn seiliedig ar gyngor arbenigol. Cadarnhaodd hefyd fod yr holl brofion ac asesiadau wedi dod i'r casgliad fod y deunydd o fewn terfynau diogel, nad yw'n peri unrhyw risg radiolegol i iechyd dynol na'r amgylchedd, a'i fod yn ddiogel ac yn addas i'w waredu yn y môr.
Andrew R.T.—
Andrew R.T.—
Shame on you. Shame.
Rhag eich cywilydd. Cywilydd.
Andrew R.T. Davies.
Andrew R.T. Davies.