NDM8390 Welsh Conservatives Debate - A&E department performance data

NDM8390 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the importance of meaningful and transparent data in improving care and patient safety.

2. Regrets the findings by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine that headline emergency department performance data have not been accurately reported for more than a decade.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) routinely publish pre-exemption figures for Welsh emergency departments to better understand performance and to inform decision making;

b) explain why the performance data in responses provided by Welsh local health boards to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine under the Freedom of Information Act and emergency department performance data published by the Welsh Government appears to be different; and

c) commission an independent review of published data to ensure that they are comparable between the UK nations.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Notes the assurance from health boards that emergency department data have been reported in line with Welsh Government guidance.

Notes that the independent Office for Statistics Regulation has welcomed the steps the Welsh Government has taken to provide assurance on the quality of the statistics.

Notes that, based on compliance by health boards with the guidance we have in Wales, Welsh statistics for major emergency departments are considered comparable to the statistics for England’s Type 1 accident and emergency departments.

Further notes that work is ongoing in partnership with service users and clinicians to review the way we measure the quality of care in emergency departments.

If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be de-selected.

Amendment 2 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new points after point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Notes that 82 per cent of clinical leads and consultants surveyed by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine have a negative view of the breach exemptions policy.

Regrets that accident and emergency waiting times have worsened since the policy was introduced over ten years ago.

Believes that the policy compromises the ability of emergency services to plan and manage their resources effectively.

Amendment 3 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

In point 3, delete sub-point b) and replace with: rescind the breach exemptions policy in line with the wishes of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.