Meetings

The Committee noted the actions which commit to improving access to mental health services in the Together for Mental Health Delivery Plan 2019 – 2022, as recommended in the Committee’s report on this petition. Given that the Welsh Government has accepted the Committee’s recommendations, and made a number of commitments to improve access to crisis care, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner for her commitment to improving services. 

The Committee considered the Welsh Government’s response to the Committee’s report and agreed to await publication of the Welsh Government’s Together for Mental Health Delivery Plan 2019-2022 before deciding their next steps.

The Committee agreed the draft report subject to the inclusion of some additional recommendations.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to produce a report focusing on the issue of access to mental health crisis services, and to use this to facilitate a Plenary debate at a future date.

The Committee considered correspondence from Mind Cymru and the petitioner and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to ask a number of questions based on the evidence received, including:

• the Welsh Government’s expectations in relation to the availability of 24/7 crisis services accessible across the whole of Wales;
• for data on the length of time patients are currently waiting for access to psychologic therapies; and
• when a report on progress under the Together for Mental Health delivery plan will be published.

The Committee considered a summary of the evidence received and agreed to seek further information from third sector mental health organisations about the issues raised by the petition and the evidence received to date.

The Committee considered further comments from the petitioner following the recent evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services and requested a summary of the evidence received to date, before considering what further action to take. 

·         Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services

·         Liz Davies - Senior Medical Officer

·         Ainsley Bladon - Mental Health Strategy Lead

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Liz Davies and Ainsley Bladon, Welsh Government.

The Committee considered the evidence received on P-05-736 To Make Mental Health Services More Accessible and agreed to seek the reflections of the petitioner following the evidence session, before agreeing what further action to take on the petition.

Laura Williams, Petitioner

Alun Thomas, Chief Executive - Hafal

The Committee heard evidence from the petitioner, Laura Williams, and Alun Thomas, Chief Executive, Hafal.

Members considered the evidence heard in the earlier session and agreed to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to give evidence to the Committee at a future meeting.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health Well-being and Sport and the petitioner and agreed to:

·         invite the petitioner to attend a Committee meeting to provide further evidence on her petition alongside Hafal and the petitioner for P-05-764 Better Mental Health Services for Adults; and

·         write to the Cabinet Secretary informing him of the forthcoming evidence session and echoing the petitioner’s disappointment with his most recent response.   

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport to highlight the concerns and proposals for improvement made by the petitioner and Hafal, and seek further information about plans to improve the responsiveness of services.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to charities that support people with mental health problems to seek their views on the issues raised by the petition and the information provided by the Cabinet Secretary.