Latest news with #JeremyMiles
ITV News
7 hours ago
- Health
- ITV News
Assisted dying bill passed by MPs - but what does this mean for Wales?
Plans to change the law to legalise assisted dying in Wales and England have come a step closer with an historic vote in the Commons, but there remain huge questions over how it will actually affect Wales. MPs voted to pass the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 314 to 291. Of Wales' 32 MPs - 24 backed the bill, seven voted against and one did not vote. Health is devolved, so the implementation of any assisted dying service would be carried out through the Welsh NHS which is controlled by the Welsh Government and ultimately answerable to the Senedd itself. In a vote last October on the principle of assisted dying, Senedd members including the First Minister and Health Secretary voted against it, which means there is every chance that MSs could vote to block it. That in turn raises the prospect of assisted dying being legalised here in Wales but Welsh doctors prohibited from providing the service. An earlier attempt to give the power to decide whether or not to allow the law to be changed here in Wales to the Senedd was overturned via an amendment to the Bill. One of the MPs behind that bid, Plaid Cymru's Liz Saville Roberts, said: 'It is regrettable that the House chose to remove the Senedd's power to commence this Bill in Wales. "Health is devolved, and I firmly believe that the Senedd must take responsibility for the services available to people at the end of their lives. I am concerned that we could face a situation where assisted dying is permitted only through the private sector in Wales. 'I am also disappointed that no Welsh MP was called to speak in today's debate. Scottish and Northern Irish MPs were given the opportunity to contribute, despite the Bill not extending to those jurisdictions. 'I am nevertheless pleased that this Bill has passed its third reading. We are a step closer to granting people dying of terminal illnesses dignity at the of their lives, and the safeguards have been strengthened to protect vulnerable people.' I understand that there will be a vote on the aspects of the bill that are devolved, particularly as it affects the health service which is the means by which any assisted dying service will be provided here in Wales. It will come in the form of a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) whereby Senedd members agree or disagree to allow UK Parliament legislation to affect Senedd law. The Health Secretary, Jeremy Miles, has already tabled an LCM although it might have to be altered now that the bill has been altered. An updated LCM has to be laid by 4th July. The Welsh Government says: 'We remain neutral on the issue of assisted dying. 'We have been working constructively with the UK Government and the Bill sponsor to ensure devolved interests are taken into account and the devolution settlement is respected.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
MPs deny Welsh Parliament veto on assisted dying in Wales
The Senedd has lost a potential veto over whether assisted dying will be legal in Wales after a vote of Commons reversed a change made to the bill at an earlier stage which would have given Members of the Senedd (MSs) the power to decide when the law comes into the plans now, the Senedd will be able to pass regulations on assisted dying services in Wales - but so will the UK will vote later on Friday to decide whether the bill proceeds for further consideration in the House of Lords. The Senedd still faces a significant decision on whether to give its consent to the legislation, in a vote expected in the will not be legally binding, but is supposed to be respected by the UK Parliament and could indicate whether the Welsh government is willing to pass its own regulations for how the system would is not clear what would happen in Wales if the Senedd did not come on board. The Senedd voted against a motion on a similar topic that failed to pass in January, albeit with a number of Health Secretary, Jeremy Miles, has expressed opposition to the situation has been created because while criminal justice is controlled by Westminster, health in Wales is handled in Cardiff Bay. The England and Wales legislation spans both topics. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who has drawn up the assisted dying legislation, sought through amendments to remove commencement powers for the Senedd added by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney at the earlier committee amendments on the Senedd's powers passed 274 votes for, 224 against, with a majority of a debate last week supporters of the amendments said the changes better reflect the fact that criminal law is not the Senedd's said the bill gave the UK parliament the power to impose the law on the Senedd, despite having rejected the bill would only allow those over the age of 18 and with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Health
- Wales Online
'Disappointing' figures show longest hospital waiting times rise again in Wales
'Disappointing' figures show longest hospital waiting times rise again in Wales Last month the Welsh Government said it had met an ambitious target, but the number has risen again Jeremy Miles said the latest health figures for Wales were 'disappointing' Wales' health minister has admitted it is "disappointing" that the number of longest NHS waits has gone up, a month after the Welsh Government said it was happy to have met a target set by the First Minister. Last year, Eluned Morgan said that by the spring she wanted the number of waits to be "around" 8,000. The corresponding figures came out in May, and showed the number of people waiting for more than two years from referral to treatment had been narrowly missed. When the First Minister made her comments the figure was around 24,000. In January it was 21,087 while in February it was 15,505, before it dropped to 8,389 - the lowest level since April, 2021. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . This month, however, it has risen again, to 9,625, something health minister Jeremy Miles has said is "disappointing". The vast majority (6,106) are in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area. Swansea Bay and Powys health boards have no pathways waiting longer than two years, while Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan university health boards each have fewer than 300 patient pathways waiting more than two years. This release of data includes the Easter holiday period. Article continues below The latest data for the longest waits shows: Betsi Cadwaladar: 6,106 Powys: 0 Hywel Dda: 208 Swansea Bay: 0 Cwm Taf: 1,168 Cardiff and Vale: 1,863 Aneurin Bevan: 280 Mr Miles said: "It is disappointing to see the increase in long waits in April after all the progress health boards have made over the last few months. However, this is an annual trend seen in April in Wales and also the other UK nations". Asked about his message to people in north Wales, where waits are longer, Mr Miles said there was a higher starting figure in the Betsi health board area, but that there had been "significant" reductions. Data shows the Betsi Cadwaladar figure in October, 2024, was 10,177, which fell to a low of 5,747 in March, then went back up to 6,106 this month. "My message to those patients is I absolutely agree that you should not have to be waiting so long for your treatment. There are a particular set of measures in place which the government has put in place to set clear expectations for the health board in north Wales, but also a key range of support for Betsi to be able to make faster progress," the health minister said. Mr Miles said Easter often caused an increase in the data due to staff being on leave and people's availability for surgery and treatments. "One of the things we want to see is a continuation and services being delivered differently so there's a more consistent pattern throughout the year right across Wales," he said. "What I want to see is those two years coming down, month on month. What we've seen in recent years, is over the Easter period is that can be a challenge and we're reporting on these figures today. We've seen this in other parts of the UK as well, it's not a challenge which is unique to Wales. "What I want to see is that we are heading steadily towards that figure where nobody's waiting more than two years for treatment. I'm confident that we've got plans that will get us there by the end of the Senedd term," he said. It came as the Welsh Government announced £120m, which it said was "new" money, to reduce the longest waits for planned treatment. The money, Mr Miles said, would: Reduce the overall size of the waiting list by 200,000 Eliminate all two-year waits Restore the diagnostic wait times to be reduced to under eight weeks by March, 2026 He said: "This new funding will mean more and faster appointments, tests and treatments over the next 12 months. We're asking people to do all they can to support the NHS by keeping their appointment and making sure they are fit and ready for treatment." Article continues below Urgent and emergency care services continue to see large numbers of people – this was the busiest May on record for the Welsh Ambulance Service, with more red, immediately life-threatening 999 calls. In emergency departments the average time to admission, transfer or discharge was two hours and 46 minutes across all emergency care facilities.
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
NHS treatment wait figures rise despite extra government funding
Monthly waiting times in Wales have risen again on the day the Welsh government announced an extra £120m to reduce them. The number of people waiting more than two years for treatment rose to more than 9,600 patients, up from about 8,400 last month. Statistics Wales said there had been changes into what was included in the date but there were about 789,900 waiting to start treatment in total, and an increase of about 1,100 pathways waiting when accounting for the changes. The Welsh government said the bulk of those waits were in north Wales and suggested the Easter break would have impacted the figures. Health Secretary Jeremy Miles, said: "It is disappointing to see the increase in long waits in April after all the progress health boards have made over the last few months."However, this is an annual trend seen in April in Wales and also the other UK nations."This is why we are making changes to how the NHS provides planned care and are investing £120m to bring down waiting times this year."We're asking people to do all they can to support the NHS by keeping their appointment and making sure they are fit and ready for treatment."The Welsh government said the extra funding would reduce the overall waiting list by 200,000, eliminate all two-year waits and reduce diagnostic waiting times to under eight weeks by March. While diagnostic waiting times have been gradually falling, this month showed an increase and stands at 38,500 waiting longer than eight a statement, Welsh government said the money would provide more outpatient appointments, more diagnostic tests and more treatments, including more than 20,000 cataract boards will also be expected to improve productivity and efficiency, to reduce the variation seen across will include reducing the number of automatic follow-up appointments, with patients instead asked to arrange them only if they are latest figures also show a worsening picture in cancer performance, dropping to 60.5% of patients starting treatment within 62 days of the suspicion of was also an increase in daily attendances to A&E, though performance against the four and 12-hour targets dipped. Ambulance response times also slightly worsened, though next month changes will be brought in to the targets, with an emphasis on patient outcomes rather than response times. James Evans, Welsh Conservative health spokesman, described the health strategy as "progress in reverse". He added: "You need a substantial workforce plan, you need a cancer action plan and you need a whole-of government approach." Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds said: "Confidence in the NHS is low, confidence in the Welsh Labour government is low, and the only thing that isn't low is the number of people waiting for treatment."
Wales Online
07-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Warning Wales faces exodus of dentists and patients forced to go private
Warning Wales faces exodus of dentists and patients forced to go private Patients would be seen by any dentist available and check-ups will rise in price and be moved to once every two years if a new NHS dental plan for Wales is approved NHS patients will be seen by any dentist available, rather than their regular practice, and check-ups will be moved to every two years in a planned move the profession warned will cause an "exodus" of staff in Wales. More than six in 10 dentists said they would go fully private rather than take on the Welsh Government's planned shake-up. The changes being proposed are "a leap in the dark that could destroy NHS dentistry in Wales", the British Dental Association (BDA) warned. As a consultation on radical changes to NHS dentistry draws to a close the BDA urged the Welsh Government to heed the warnings of the profession "to avoid a wholesale exodus from the workforce". The Welsh Government has said its proposals will improve patients' access to dental service but the BDA said it would mean more forced to go private. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Under the shake-up adults would no longer have a regular practice NHS dentist but would be seen by whichever one is available on a first come first served basis. They would stay with that dentist until the course of treatment ends and then be returned the central list. Under-18s would keep the same surgery they are first allocated but dentists warn this could cause problems for families having appointments at multiple surgeries. Prices for NHS check-ups will rise from £20 to £24.75 under the plans. Article continues below "Despite worthy-sounding policy goals – to improve oral health, refocus on prevention, enhance the wellbeing of the workforce, and deliver better value for money – the professional body is warning that the plans as they stand risk achieving the exact opposite results," the BDA said. A survey of dentists across Wales by the BDA found "dentists have been left in an invidious position that risks an exodus from the NHS" with 72% saying they would not be willing to work under the proposed reforms as they stand. More than seven in 10 also said they are likely to reduce their NHS commitment in the event the model is imposed next year and more than six in 10 say they are likely to go fully private. Changes are expected to be fast-tracked for rollout next year. Jeremy Miles, the cabinet secretary for health and social care, has described the package as the "biggest change in nearly 20 years". The BDA said despite "headline focus on prevention" reducing healthier patients to check-up appointments up to 24 months apart could mean diseases, including oral cancers, are not picked up early. Dentists would also be unable to offer timely preventative advice and treatment. There will also be big changes to how NHS dentists are paid with rewards for delivering a 'care package' to patients with ongoing or complex needs. But the proposed level of payment "fails to reflect the true cost of care and risks leaving NHS providers delivering care at a loss", the BDA said. Russell Gidney, chair of the BDA's Welsh General Practice, said: 'On improving access and outcomes and refocusing on prevention the Welsh Government set lofty goals but its reforms risk achieving the exact opposite. 'Now dentists are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea between a failed status quo and an unpopular untested alternative. "Ministers must be willing to listen, pilot plans, and avoid a leap in the dark that could destroy this service.' In a statement to the Senedd on March 18 Mr Miles said the new general dental services contract will be implemented from April 2026. He said the reforms would be the biggest in nearly 20 years and the central aim will be to make it easier to access NHS dentistry. He said instead of recalling everyone every six months for a routine check-up the new contract will be based on prevention and needs-based provision of treatment. The online BDA survey answered by 176 dentists across Wales also shows only: 2% of dentists responding feel that changes would support the long-term sustainability of NHS dentistry in Wales; 2% agree that reforms would improve population health with only 5% saying that they would enhance prevention; 2% feel reforms would support continuity of care with the same proportion believing it would enhance early detection of oral health conditions; 8% say that reforms would actually improve access to NHS care, and; 6% think the proposed system would provide good value for money for the taxpayer. Responding to the BDA's comments and findings a Welsh Government spokesman said: 'Under the new contract most people would continue their relationship with their practice and continuity would be strengthened for people with poor oral health. 'We are committed to providing better access to NHS dentistry for those most in need and at risk and to making NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and their teams. The consultation on the proposed new contract is now live for the public and professional alike to have a say in shaping these once-in-a-generation reforms.' Article continues below Get our daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
