Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has thanked everyone involved in the axed health service watchdog and urged patients to help them with their current project.
The volunteer led North Wales Community Health Council is being disbanded on Friday March 31, after almost half a decade, but has set up a number of events next week to encourage people to come forward to share their hospital experiences.
Mr Rowlands is supporting the project by the health service watchdog who are seeking information from patients, carers and families waiting for operations.
Mr Rowlands, a harsh critic of the running of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said:
I have previously expressed my concern and disappointment at the axing of the NWCHC, particularly at this time when an ‘independent’ watchdog is sorely needed in North Wales.
We have a health service in my region which is not fit for purpose and yet this scrutiny body, which has been continually and successfully fighting for patient’s rights and highlighting the failings of the health board, will no longer be around.
I appreciate that it is being replaced with the Citizen’s Voice Body, but this will be run by the Welsh Government and this gives me great cause for concern.
Meanwhile I would urge anyone who wants to share their hospital experiences of waiting for an appointment to make sure they get in touch with NWCHC asap and help make their last project a great success. I would also like to thank members for all their hard work over the years.
In 2018 the independent health services watchdog for North Wales, NWCH , published a survey of the effects on patients of long waits for operations. The report, ‘Our Lives on Hold’ described the human cost of long waiting times and contributed to the pressure on Welsh Government to fund waiting list initiatives to reduce waiting times.
Mr Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Chief Officer for NWCHC said: “We heard of people in chronic pain and from those who had lost jobs to their inability to work. People told us about damaged relationships and being unable to participate in family life, looking after grandchildren or going on holiday. As a result of the pandemic, the number of people waiting over 52 weeks has increased dramatically.
“The NWCHC wants to hear how this is affecting lives and well-being so that we can build the case for additional resources to clear these waiting lists and return to pre-pandemic waiting times (and hopefully better) within two years.
The NWCHC will be holding face to face and online events, inviting patients, their carers and their families to talk about their experiences of waiting for operations.
There will also be opportunities to comment through e-mail, social media and telephone.
The events will take place online via zoom on March 23, at 7pm; Y Ganolfan, Porthmadog, March 27, at 10.30am; online via zoom March 28, at 7pm; Ty Pawb Wrexham, March 29 at 10.30am and online via zoom on March 31 at 10.30am.
Those wishing to attend will need to register in advance by contacting the North Wales Community Health Council on tel: 01248 679284 (there is an answerphone system in operation – please leave a message and a member of the team will be in touch) or by e-mail [email protected]
You can also register your attendance by filling in an on-line registration form by using the following link. https://forms.office.com/e/6aebJLx7sw
Sam Rowlands AS yn canmol gwaith Cyngor Iechyd Cymuned Gogledd Cymru sydd ar fin dod i ben
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, wedi diolch i bawb a oedd yn rhan o gorff gwarchod y gwasanaeth iechyd sydd wedi dod i ben ac anogodd gleifion i'w helpu gyda'u prosiect presennol.
Mae Cyngor Iechyd Cymuned Gogledd Cymru, a arweinir gan wirfoddolwyr, yn dod i ben ddydd Gwener 31 Mawrth, wedi bron i hanner degawd, ond mae wedi trefnu nifer o ddigwyddiadau yr wythnos nesaf er mwyn annog pobl i ddod ymlaen i rannu eu profiadau yn yr ysbyty.
Mae Mr Rowlands yn cefnogi'r prosiect gan gorff gwarchod y gwasanaeth iechyd ac yn chwilio am wybodaeth gan gleifion, gofalwyr a theuluoedd sy'n aros am lawdriniaethau.
Dywedodd Mr Rowlands, beirniad llym o’r ffordd y mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr wedi bod yn cael ei redeg:
Rydw i eisoes wedi mynegi fy mhryder a'm siom bod CICGC yn dod i ben, yn arbennig ar hyn o bryd pan fo angen gwarchodwr 'annibynnol' yn ddirfawr yn y Gogledd.
Mae gennym ni wasanaeth iechyd yn fy rhanbarth nad yw'n addas i'w ddiben ac eto ni fydd y corff craffu hwn, sydd wedi bod yn brwydro'n barhaus ac yn llwyddiannus dros hawliau cleifion ac yn amlygu methiannau'r bwrdd iechyd, bellach ar waith.
Rwy'n gwerthfawrogi ei fod yn cael ei ddisodli gan Gorff Llais y Bobl, ond Llywodraeth Cymru fydd yn ei gynnal ac mae hynny’n destun pryder mawr i mi.
Yn y cyfamser byddwn yn annog unrhyw un sydd am rannu ei brofiadau o ysbytai ac o aros am apwyntiad i gofio cysylltu â CICGC cyn gynted â phosibl, gan helpu i wneud eu prosiect olaf yn un gwerth chweil. Hoffwn ddiolch hefyd i'r aelodau am eu holl waith caled dros y blynyddoedd.
Yn 2018, cyhoeddodd corff gwarchod gwasanaethau iechyd annibynnol Gogledd Cymru, CICGC, arolwg o effeithiau arosiadau hir am lawdriniaethau ar gleifion. Disgrifiodd yr adroddiad, ‘Ein Bywydau ar Stop', gost ddynol amseroedd aros hir, a chyfrannodd at y pwysau ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ariannu mentrau rhestrau aros er mwyn lleihau amseroedd aros.
Dywedodd Mr Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Prif Swyddog CICGC: "Fe glywsom ni am bobl mewn poen cronig a gan y rhai a oedd wedi colli swyddi am nad oedden nhw’n gallu gweithio. Roedd pobl yn dweud wrthym ni am berthnasoedd dan straen, pobl yn methu cymryd rhan mewn bywyd teuluol, gofalu am wyrion neu fynd ar wyliau. O ganlyniad i'r pandemig, mae nifer y bobl sy'n aros dros 52 wythnos wedi cynyddu'n aruthrol.
Mae CICGC eisiau clywed sut mae hyn yn effeithio ar fywydau a lles er mwyn i ni allu adeiladu'r achos dros adnoddau ychwanegol i glirio'r rhestrau aros hyn a dychwelyd i'r amseroedd aros cyn y pandemig (gan ragori arnynt) o fewn dwy flynedd.
Bydd CICGC yn cynnal digwyddiadau wyneb yn wyneb ac ar-lein, gan wahodd cleifion, eu gofalwyr a'u teuluoedd i siarad am eu profiadau o aros am lawdriniaethau.
Bydd cyfleoedd hefyd i wneud sylwadau trwy e-bost, ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a dros y ffôn.
Bydd y digwyddiadau'n cael eu cynnal ar-lein dros Zoom ar 23 Mawrth, am 7pm; Y Ganolfan, Porthmadog, 27 Mawrth, am 10.30am; ar-lein dros Zoom 28 Mawrth, am 7pm; Tŷ Pawb Wrecsam, 29 Mawrth am 10.30am ac ar-lein dros Zoom ar 31 Mawrth am 10.30am.
Bydd angen i'r rhai sy'n dymuno bod yn bresennol gofrestru ymlaen llaw trwy gysylltu â Chyngor Iechyd Cymuned Gogledd Cymru ar: 01248 679284 (mae system ateb ar waith – gadewch neges a bydd aelod o'r tîm mewn cysylltiad) neu drwy e-bost [email protected]
Gallwch hefyd gofrestru eich presenoldeb drwy lenwi ffurflen gofrestru ar-lein drwy ddefnyddio'r ddolen ganlynol. https://forms.office.com/e/6aebJLx7sw
