Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies.

Luke Fletcher declared that he is a member of Greyhound Rescue Wales.

Vanessa Waddon, Hope Rescue

Alain Thomas, Greyhound Rescue Wales

Alex Nilan, Almost Home Dog Rescue

The Committee heard evidence from Vanessa Waddon, founder of Hope Rescue, Alain Thomas, founder of Greyhound Rescue Wales and Alex Nilan, Chair of Almost Home Dog Rescue.

The Committee considered the petition and noted the response from the Welsh Government and the advice of the JCVI, World Health Organisation and the European Central for Disease Control, agreeing to thank the petitioner and close the petition.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to ask that they further consider the request for a day of remembrance or memorial day for those who have been killed in industrial and mining disasters rather than a designated bank holiday.

The Committee considered the petition and noted the difficult circumstances that generated this petition, and that it is sadly not an experience unique to the petitioner. The Committee noted that the Health and Social Care Committee have recently held an inquiry into hospital waiting times and ambulance waiting times. The Committee therefore agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of the Health and Social Care report and Welsh Government’s response.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to ask for a response to the issues highlighted by the petitioner, to ascertain whether all relevant data was considered and how local health providers and emergency services were consulted as part of this work.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of a new plan following the Roads Review.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Senedd’s Business Committee in order to request a Plenary debate in the Senedd.

Prior to the meeting the Committee watched a video from the Wellbeing ambassadors, who had also recently visited the Senedd. The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to ask if there have been any further developments since November 2019, and specifically about whether the anti-bullying guidance and the whole school approach framework is in place.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Welsh Government expressing concern regarding the failure to ensure individual’s independence and control over their care provision. The Committee also agreed to ask them to:

• Promote the use of Independent User Trusts (IUTs) within NHS CHC Framework, supported by detailed practical / workable guidance on the process of setting up and maintaining such Trusts.
• Include a template example of such a Trust: a template that is as simple as is possible and one that prioritises the maintenance of the individual’s independence and control over their care provision; &
• Ensure that the Trustees of the IUT would be appointed by the individual beneficiary or a Centre for Independent Living or similar entity.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of the findings of the UK consultation on whether these types of craft should be within scope of the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask how the Welsh Government are monitoring that each health board has the appropriate level of support that is needed.

The Committee also agreed to write to all Health Boards in Wales to ask what services and resources are in place to meet the needs of people with epilepsy across Wales, and if there are any gaps in services and resources at present.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to seek answers to the concerns and further questions raised by the petitioner. The Committee also agreed that it would support the call to raise awareness to Endometriosis and write to Health and Care Research Wales and Welsh Universities in order to highlight data gaps in order to help improve the quality of research into endometriosis.

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to close the petition, congratulating the petitioner for highlighting this particularly important issue, and by doing so ensuring the facts were explained, shared and widely publicised.

The paper was noted.

The motion was agreed.

The Committee discussed the evidence heard and agreed that it would continue to take further evidence on this petition.

The Committee considered the draft Annual Report and agreed to publish this as an overview of the Committee’s work during its first year.