(Title Image: Oxymoron Games)
At a Glance Guide
Stage 1 report (summary)
The Health & Social Care Quality Bill will:
- Abolish Community Health Councils and replace them with a Citizens’ Voice Body, whose members would be appointed by the Welsh Government.
- Introduce a duty of candour (honesty/to be upfront) to the health and social care sector meaning any case where someone has been harmed by poor care has to be properly investigated and the victim properly supported.
- Allow local health boards to appoint a Vice-Chair.
Stage 2 proceedings were undertaken by the Health Committee as well as the Member in Charge – Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth). In the end, there were no significant changes made other than wording.
The Key Amendments at Stage 3
Amendment 3 – Health Minister, Vaughan Gething
The Welsh Government will need to publish a Code of Practice for the Citizens’ Voice Body regarding access to premises.
Vote: Approved – 37 for, 11 against
Amendment 15 – Health Minister, Vaughan Gething
Ensures the Citizens’ Voice Body is covered by Welsh language regulations.
Vote: Agreed unanimously
Amendment 21 – Angela Burns AM (Con, Carms. W. & S. Pembs)
Places a duty on Welsh Ministers to ensure there are appropriate numbers of staff in the NHS.
Vote: Rejected – 23 for, 28 against
Reason for Rejection: It would place an “inappropriate and impractical” duty on the Welsh Government when health boards are responsible for staffing.
Amendment 72 – Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Plaid, Ynys Môn)
Subject to regulations, would create a register of NHS managers employed by local health boards, introduces a mechanism to “strike off” managers from the register and ensures nobody can be employed as a manager without being on the register.
Vote: Rejected – 22 for, 28 against
Reason for Rejection: Adds bureaucracy and complexity.
Amendment 73 – Rhun ap Iorwerth AM
Strengthens the reporting requirement when the NHS breaches the duty of candour and places a requirement on the Welsh Government to issue a statement to the Senedd when a “serious” breach of the duty of candour has occurred.
Vote: Rejected – 22 for, 27 against
Reason for Rejection: Adds bureaucracy and complexity.
Amendment 75 – Rhun ap Iorwerth AM
Ensures the Citizens Voice Body has a regional presence as well as a national one.
Vote: Amendment Withdrawn/Automatically Rejected
Reason for Withdrawal: A government amendment ensured the Citizens’ Voice Body would “represent the interests of people in all parts of Wales”.
