Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy has spoken out on BBC Radio Wales regarding the delays to breast cancer MRI results at Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board.
On Good Friday, Janet addressed the concerning reality that only one consultant radiologist is currently able to review MRI scans for Breast Cancer screening at the Betsi Health Board.
This has been an ongoing issue, with Digital Health and Care Wales outlining that only 55% started treatment within the target and that it takes on average 76 days from the point of suspicion to the patient being informed whether or not they have cancer – far longer than in England.
Commenting on this, Janet said:
“There seems to be minimal effort being made to address this issue. It's imperative that the Welsh Government shifts from making promises to implementing tangible actions.
I have been liaising with the Health Board for several months now and it is heart breaking to see the effect of these delays. It is simply unacceptable that there is only one consultant radiologist able to review the MRI scans, how has this been allowed to happen?
Given the considerable strain on the entire Welsh NHS and the dedicated efforts of its staff to meet targets and deadlines, it's disheartening to witness the bottleneck in breast MRI scans.
This is clearly a consequence of the wider staffing issue facing our Welsh NHS.
It is therefore imperative that our Health Boards collaborate more effectively with each other, and the private sector, to establish a dynamic and fluid workflow. It is also why I endorse the Welsh Conservatives' proposal to implement a comprehensive workforce plan, with a tuition fee refund for healthcare workers at its core.”
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o'r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi bod yn siarad ar BBC Radio Wales ynglŷn â'r oedi i ganlyniadau MRI canser y fron ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr.
Ddydd Gwener y Groglith, soniodd Janet am y realiti pryderus mai dim ond un radiolegydd ymgynghorol sy'n gallu adolygu sganiau MRI ar gyfer sgrinio Canser y Fron ym Mwrdd Iechyd Betsi ar hyn o bryd.
Mae hon wedi bod yn broblem barhaus, gydag Iechyd a Gofal Digidol Cymru yn nodi mai dim ond 55% ddechreuodd driniaeth o fewn y targed a'i bod yn cymryd 76 diwrnod ar gyfartaledd o'r pwynt lle’r amheuir canser i'r amser pan fo’r claf yn cael gwybod a oes ganddo ganser ai peidio - sy'n llawer hirach nac yn Lloegr.
Wrth sôn am hyn, dywedodd Janet:
“Mae'n ymddangos mai ychydig iawn o ymdrech sy'n cael ei wneud i fynd i'r afael â'r mater hwn. Mae'n hollbwysig bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn symud o wneud addewidion i roi camau pendant ar waith.
Rydw i wedi bod yn cysylltu â'r Bwrdd Iechyd ers sawl mis bellach ac mae'n dorcalonnus gweld effaith yr oedi hwn. Mae'n gwbl annerbyniol mai dim ond un radiolegydd ymgynghorol sy'n gallu adolygu'r sganiau MRI - sut mae hyn wedi digwydd?
O ystyried y straen sylweddol sydd ar y GIG ledled Cymru ac ymdrechion ei staff i gyrraedd targedau a therfynau amser, mae'n ddigalon gweld yr oedi i sganiau MRI canser y fron.
Mae hyn yn amlwg o ganlyniad i'r broblem staffio ehangach sy'n wynebu’r GIG yng Nghymru.
Felly, mae'n hollbwysig bod ein Byrddau Iechyd yn cydweithio'n fwy effeithiol â'i gilydd, a'r sector preifat, i sefydlu llif gwaith deinamig a hyblyg. Dyma hefyd pam rwy'n cymeradwyo cynnig y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig i weithredu cynllun gweithlu cynhwysfawr, gydag ad-daliad ffioedd dysgu ar gyfer gweithwyr gofal iechyd wrth ei wraidd.”
DIWEDD
