Follow-up on winter preparedness 2018

The Committee scrutinised NHS bodies and the ADSS on their response to last winter’s pressures and their preparations for this coming winter on 19 July 2018.

Inquiry into winter preparedness 2016-17

Inquiry5

Winter is always a busy time for health and social services. Building on the work done during the Fourth Assembly, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee looked at the winter preparedness of health and social care services in Wales.

Terms of reference for the inquiry

In seeking assurance that the Welsh NHS is equipped to deal with pressures on unscheduled care services during the coming winter, the Committee’s inquiry considered:

• the current pressures facing unscheduled care services, and how well prepared the Welsh NHS and social services are for winter 2016/17;
• whether there has been sufficient progress in the fourth Assembly in alleviating pressures on unscheduled care through integrated winter planning across health, social and ambulance services, and lessons learned; and
• the actions needed to produce sustainable improvements to urgent and emergency care services, and the whole system, ensuring the Welsh NHS builds resilience to seasonal demand and to improve the position for the future.

The terms of reference included a focus on patient flow (including primary care out of hours, emergency ambulance services, emergency departments, and delayed transfers of care).

Evidence gathering

The Committee consulted on this topic. The responses have been published.

Report

Report on the inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17 (PDF 803KB)

Inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17 – conclusions and recommendations (PDF 466KB)

Welsh Government Response – January 2017 (PDF 582KB)

Plenary debate

The Plenary debate on the Committee’s report took place on 1 February 2017.

Follow-up correspondence

Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – June 2017 (PDF 150KB)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport to the Chair of the Committee – July 2017 (PDF 270KB)