The decision by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to invest up to £6.65 million in additional permanent staffing across its Emergency Departments has been welcomed by Janet Finch-Saunders MS as a positive step towards improving patient care and supporting frontline NHS staff. However, she has stressed the importance of ensuring that this investment is spent effectively and delivers tangible improvements for patients, particularly in helping to bring an end to corridor care.
The funding will provide additional doctors, nurses and healthcare support workers, reducing reliance on agency and locum staff while helping to improve patient flow, waiting times and the overall resilience of Emergency Departments across North Wales.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Senedd Member for Bangor Conwy Môn said:
“I welcome this investment in our Emergency Departments and the recognition that more permanent frontline staff are needed to meet growing demand.
For some time, I have consistently raised concerns in the Senedd about overcrowding, lengthy waits and the unacceptable practise of corridor care. Patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and staff deserve to work in an environment where they can provide the highest standard of care.
This investment must now be used to deliver meaningful improvements for patients. We cannot continue to see patients waiting for treatment on chairs for hours or even days, also being treated in unsuitable spaces, or going without access to a hospital bed when they need one. Corridor care should not become normalised in in any part of our NHS.
Mae penderfyniad Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr i fuddsoddi hyd at £6.65 miliwn mewn staffio parhaol ychwanegol ar draws ei Adrannau Brys wedi cael ei groesawu gan Janet Finch-Saunders AS fel cam cadarnhaol tuag at wella gofal cleifion a chefnogi staff rheng flaen y GIG. Fodd bynnag, mae hi wedi pwysleisio pwysigrwydd sicrhau bod y buddsoddiad hwn yn cael ei wario'n effeithiol ac yn darparu gwelliannau diriaethol i gleifion, yn enwedig wrth helpu i ddod â gofal mewn coridor i ben.
Bydd y cyllid yn darparu meddygon, nyrsys a gweithwyr cymorth gofal iechyd ychwanegol, gan leihau’r ddibyniaeth ar staff asiantaeth a locwm wrth helpu i wella llif cleifion, amseroedd aros a gwydnwch cyffredinol Adrannau Brys ledled y Gogledd.
Meddai Janet Finch-Saunders, AS Bangor Conwy Môn:
"Rwy'n croesawu'r buddsoddiad hwn yn ein Hadrannau Brys a'r gydnabyddiaeth bod angen mwy o staff rheng flaen parhaol i ateb y galw cynyddol.
Ers cryn amser, rydw i wedi rhannu pryderon yn gyson yn y Senedd am orlenwi, amseroedd aros hir a'r arfer annerbyniol o ofal mewn coridor. Mae cleifion yn haeddu cael eu trin gydag urddas a pharch, ac mae staff yn haeddu gweithio mewn amgylchedd lle galla nhw ddarparu gofal o’r safon uchaf.
Rhaid defnyddio'r buddsoddiad hwn nawr i sicrhau gwelliannau ystyrlon i gleifion. Ni allwn barhau i weld cleifion yn aros am driniaeth ar gadeiriau am oriau neu hyd yn oed ddyddiau, hefyd yn cael eu trin mewn mannau anaddas, neu'n mynd heb fynediad at wely mewn ysbyty pan fydd angen un. Ni ddylai gofal mewn coridor gael ei normaleiddio mewn unrhyw ran o'n GIG.
Er na fydd y cyllid hwn ar ei ben ei hun yn datrys pob her sy'n wynebu'r GIG, rwy'n gobeithio ei fod yn gam sylweddol tuag at ddod â gofal mewn coridor i ben unwaith ac am byth. Byddaf yn parhau i bwyso ar Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr a Llywodraeth Cymru i sicrhau bod y buddsoddiad hwn yn cyflawni gwelliannau gwirioneddol i gleifion yn fy etholaeth ac ar draws y Gogledd."
While this funding alone will not solve every challenge facing the NHS, I hope it marks a significant step towards ending corridor care once and for all. I will continue to press Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Government to ensure that this investment delivers real improvements for patients in my constituency and across North Wales.”
