Written Assembly Questions tabled on 2 March 2017 for answer on 9 March 2017
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W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self-identifying question no. shown in brackets)
Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By Welsh Local Health Board, what was the longest number of bed days lost as a result of an individual patient experiencing a delayed transfer of care in January 2017? (WAQ73102)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be placed on the internet.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By Welsh Local Health Board, how many full time equivalent health visitors were employed in each of the past 5 years? (WAQ73103)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
Vaughan Gething: This information is available on StatsWales.
The number of full time equivalent health visitors in Wales over the past 5 years is shown below, using the most recent published data from StatsWales, as at 30 September. The 2016 data will be available from the end of March.
| HB | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University LHB | 140.8 | 151.2 | 165.0 | 178.5 | 175.5 |
| Aneurin Bevan University LHB | 138.0 | 153.4 | 168.7 | 136.5 | 153.9 |
| Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB | 143.0 | 146.4 | 153.1 | 151.7 | 165.9 |
| Cardiff and Vale University LHB | 127.4 | 133.6 | 142.3 | 156.8 | 155.6 |
| Cwm Taf University LHB | 73.6 | 68.8 | 104.6 | 108.5 | 113.9 |
| Hywel Dda University LHB | 83.9 | 87.9 | 92.1 | 96.1 | 100.1 |
| Powys Teaching LHB | 32.1 | 33.3 | 32.6 | 29.5 | 30.7 |
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By Welsh Local Health Board, how many hospital inspections were undertaken by Health Inspectorate Wales in each of the past 5 years? (WAQ73104)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
Vaughan Gething: Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) continues to evolve its method of inspection and assurance in line with the ever changing environment of the Welsh NHS. For example, over the last five years there has been a shift from high number of single ward inspections to broader multi-ward and multi-site hospital inspections which, where appropriate, focus on a particular theme. Since 2012/13 there has been a six fold increase in the overall number of inspections, visits and reviews that HIW has carried out.
HIW’s annual reports and relevant thematic reports provide the number and types of inspection carried out each year and importantly, include a broad analysis of HIW’s findings, conclusions and recommendations for improvement. For the last two years HIW has also produced annual reports for each Health Board and NHS Trust in Wales. These reports can be accessed at:
http://hiw.org.uk/reports/localhealthboardstrusts/?lang=en
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What is the total annual cost of the Healthy Prestatyn Project? (WAQ73105)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
Vaughan Gething: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been providing primary care services since 1 April 2016 for the 21,000 patients previously registered with the Pendyffryn GP practice at Prestatyn, the Seabank GP practice at Prestatyn and the Rhuddlan GP practice at Rhyl. This primary care service is referred to as Healthy Prestatyn. It is based around expanded multi professional teams comprising a GP, Nurse Practitioner, Pharmacists, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and community health workers.
The Health Board has indicated the current full year cost forecast for providing Healthy Prestatyn services for 2016/17 is approximately £3,387,000, which includes an additional one off cost associated with locum cover during the GP recruitment process. The Health board has indicated that the Healthy Prestatyn current cost per patient is approximately £140 which compares with £136 average cost per patient for a non dispensing practice in North Denbighshire Cluster and £145 average cost per patient for North Wales. The health board’s financial plan is that the overall costs of providing the Healthy Prestatyn service, once in a ‘steady state’, are no greater than the aggregate general medical services allocation for the three GP practices for those services which are directly comparable.
The Health Board also highlights that Healthy Prestatyn has reduced prescribing costs by approximately £250,000 over the period April to December 2016. The utilisation of pharmacists within the healthcare team has enabled patients to have a greater understanding of the need for regular review and their prescribed medication. As a result, there has been a reduction in over-ordering and non adherence to prescribed treatments together with a reduction in administration workload. The Health board anticipates a significant proportion of this reduction in prescribing costs will be recurring.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By Welsh Local Health Board, how many full time equivalent midwives were employed in each of the past 5 years? (WAQ73106)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
Vaughan Gething: This information is available on StatsWales.
The number of full time equivalent registered midwives in Wales over the past 5 years is shown below, using the most recent published data from StatsWales as at 30 September 2015. The 2016 data will be available from the end of March.
| HB | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University LHB | 217.3 | 222.3 | 225.4 | 289.8 | 291.8 |
| Aneurin Bevan University LHB | 127.9 | 175.7 | 178.9 | 183.2 | 189.3 |
| Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB | 273.7 | 277.0 | 290.9 | 297.0 | 277.5 |
| Cardiff and Vale University LHB | 213.1 | 216.3 | 221.7 | 216.2 | 219.8 |
| Cwm Taf University LHB | 165.1 | 161.4 | 164.0 | 156.2 | 162.1 |
| Hywel Dda University LHB | 134.7 | 137.2 | 134.3 | 141.5 | 146.6 |
| Powys Teaching LHB | 29.8 | 30.8 | 29.4 | 30.5 | 29.9 |
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): How much has been spent on the Rural Development Programme to date and how much will be spent over the lifetime of the programme? (WAQ73099)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): Spend on the Wales Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 totalled £62,176,110 at the end of February 2017. This figure excludes advance payments paid to LEADER groups and other schemes.
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of Brexit on the Rural Development Programme and what changes does the Cabinet Secretary expect to make to the programme as a result? (WAQ73100)
Answer received on 16 March 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The Wales Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 was based on an evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to rural Wales, and in view of the Programme for Government.
Since the Brexit vote I have held a number of meetings and workshops with stakeholders to assess the impact of Brexit on the rural economy and communities, and my officials continue to work on the likely impacts on the various sectors. There remain many uncertainties around the terms of exit, including future arrangements for trade, immigration and the replacement of EU funding, however it is clear now more than ever we must invest wisely in projects that will give good value for money and assist our businesses and communities to build their resilience for the long-term. In order to give our stakeholders the maximum certainty in this difficult time, I have decided on the timing of future windows for the remainder of the Programme.
Details of how the remaining programme funds will be committed and spent will be formally announced later this month.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Given the Welsh Government's involvement in Cardiff Airport and the Flybe link between Cardiff and London, could the Cabinet Secretary please outline the Welsh language policy which is employed on board in relation to safety advice and onboard communications? (WAQ73101)
Answer to follow.