Public Affairs Update - September 2023

Public Affairs Update - September 2023

Senedd Reform Bill

The Welsh Government has published its plans in the Senedd Reform Bill to create a more representative Senedd, increasing the number of MSs to 93 from 60. Elections will be held every four years, and there will be an increase in the number of Ministers from 12 to 17.

Living with Persistent Pain in Wales

The new Living with Persistent Pain in Wales (gov.wales) guidance was launched on 18 September, written by Owen Hughes, Counselling Psychologist and Welsh Government's Clinical Lead on persistent pain.

New resources to support all Allied Health Professionals and AHP students

On Wednesday, 27 September, the Welsh Government is launching two new co-produced resources to support all Allied Health Professionals working in Wales and AHP students (links to these documents will be available on the Welsh Government website):

• All-Wales Community Rehabilitation Best Practice Standards  (BPS endorsed)
• Early Years Health Inequalities Toolkit

Promote, prevent and prepare for planed care

In August, the Welsh Government launched their strategy, Promote, prevent and prepare for planned care to help empower people who are waiting for treatment. "It reflects the clear drive to 'change the narrative to move away from the passive term 'waiting list' to move towards a proactive preparation list that will provide holistic support for people to help them manage their conditions and support people to prepare for surgery."

Events in Wales

 Anti-Slavery Wales 2023 Conference

This year, to mark Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October, the Welsh Government are organising the Anti-Slavery Wales 2023 conference. Hosted by Cardiff Business School in partnership with the Welsh Government, the police, and third sector organisations, including members of the Anti-Slavery Wales Forum, the conference will provide an opportunity to hear from and network with frontline practitioners and experts. The conference will be held in-person and online via Microsoft Teams.

Register for the conference now on Eventbrite

Consultations

Retention Guide - retaining and valuing our Workforce within the NHS in Wales

HEIW are seeking your thoughts and views to inform the work on AHP retention. The National Workforce Implementation Plan: Addressing NHS Workforce Challenges (NWIP), published by Welsh Government in January 2023 outlines a series of actions relating to the workforce. One of those actions is: HEIW will review allied health professions to understand the current position and future needs to deliver our services, resulting in an AHP retention plan. 

HEIW is planning to launch a  'Retention Guide 'retaining and valuing our Workforce within the NHS in Wales'. This resource provides options and solutions for employers to improve retention practice for the wider workforce.

They are asking specifically:

1. How do we retain AHPs in Wales?
2. Are there any suggestions which organisations  should consider retaining their AHP staff?

If you have any thoughts on the above, please email me ([email protected] ) by Friday, 6 October.

Do disabled children and young people have equal access to education and childcare?

The Senedd's Children, Young People and Education Committee is holding an inquiry into Do disabled children and young people have equal access to education and childcare? We will be submitting our final response before the deadline of 29 September. It will be too late to have your views included in our written response, but if there is any feedback you would like to share in case we are asked to provide oral evidence to the committee, please email [email protected] .

Prison in Wales enquiry

The UK Parliament's Welsh Affairs Committee announced a follow-up to their 2019 inquiry into Prisons in Wales to look at the state of the prison estate, staffing issues, management of offenders, and cooperation between UK and Welsh Governments around devolved areas (housing, education etc.) Deadline is 13 October.  

Degree apprenticeships in undergraduate training

HEIW is asking if Degree Apprenticeships in undergraduate training have a role for healthcare professions in the training of future healthcare professionals. There are a three ways to get involved: 1. Responding to a survey; 2. Attending workshops; and 3. Inviting HEIW to us to run a session. Deadline is 27 October.