It’s welcome news that over £1.2 million will be invested in maternity and neonatal services at Glangwili Hospital. I’ve visited the maternity units at both Withybush Hospital and Glangwili and I’m pleased that this money is available. It will help improve the neonatal unit and labour ward at Glangwili, something that’s much needed. Expectant mums and dads need to know they will continue to receive the very best care in a facility that can accommodate new parents and babies from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. The staff have also been working in a difficult environment – they’ve been doing a great job despite the cramped conditions. When I met the health board Chief Executive recently, I told him of people’s ongoing concerns regarding patient transport. This investment will also help make the hospital more accessible to patients.
I asked the Chief Executive, Steve Moore to assure me that everything was being done to minimise the impact of the temporary reduced opening hours of the Paediatric Assessment Unit at Withybush, so I was reassured to learn that the temporary changes to paediatric services at Withybush Hospital have been working and that progress is being made on recruitment. Let’s hope this means the children’s service there will be back to full strength very soon.
The Labour Welsh Government will invest £36m to reduce infant class sizes and raise standards we were told this week. Reducing class sizes is one part of our mission to improve standards by targeting classes where teaching and learning needs to improve and where there are high levels of deprivation. I want to see opportunities extended for all our young people. There is a positive connection between smaller classes and results, particularly for pupils from poorer backgrounds. This is most significant for younger children, which is why the investment is aimed at infant class sizes.
Wales’ first ever Bus Summit is bringing the bus industry and others together to look at how they can work more effectively together to deliver the best, most robust bus service possible. There is no question that 2016 was a mixed year for the bus industry in Wales – the demise of some service providers left communities, services and bus users vulnerable, including here in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. The Economy Secretary has said the summit will look at longer term solutions to deliver a quality service across Wales. This includes hearing how young people can be encouraged to increase their bus travel. If you have ideas on this or on any other issues, I hope you’ll write to me at my constituency office, 19 Cartlett, Haverfordwest SA61 2LH or at facebook.com/elunedmorganam
