Welsh Cancer Drugs Funds

5^th September 2011  

William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) speaking in Plenary debate calling upon the Welsh Government to establish a Cancer Drugs Fund: 

 William highlighted that the Health budget in Wales is being cut by 5.8% over the next 3 years. NHS funding per head in England will grow £1,926 per head in 2009-10 to £2,035 in 2012-13; in this time funding in Wales will fall from £2,075 to around £2,002 per year. 

 “It has been verified that each year £1 billion of the Welsh NHS budget is not utilised effectively as a result of ‘extremely costly’ mistakes; more than £50 million of medicines are returned to pharmacies unused, and must be incinerated. This is money which is literally going up in smoke that could otherwise be used to provide life-prolonging treatments”. 

 I acknowledge the MacMillan Cancer Support claim that the present system is ill-equipped to deal with the growing number of people needing help; services are not keeping up with the changing nature of cancer and their on going needs.” 

 “Cancer treatments are changing. Increasingly the focus is upon recovery and cure”. A Welsh Cancer Drugs Fund would direct treatment to the most effective drug for each individual patient’s requirements”.

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Disable Access in South Wales Region

  21 September 2011  

Disable access in Newport, Chepstow, Abergavenny & Pontypool. 

William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) speaking in the Assembly debate on the accessibility of the transport network for disabled people called for “access to be an integral design feature of our transport network”. 

“There are 30 railway stations in South Wales East;  

•24 of these are unmanned

•13 are accessed by ramps with a gradient steeper than 1:12

• Only 3 have accessible lavatory facilities.

I appreciate that many access issues arise from the age of our stations; however, form August 2007 until September 2010 wheelchair access to the Assembly Government funded Platform 4 at Newport Station was via a taxi arranged by station staff”. 

“It is an alarming statistic that 23% of disabled people have had to turn down a job due to a lack of accessible transport”.  

“Public transport is only truly ‘public’ if it is available to everyone”. 

“If information about accessibility is not readily available, then accessible services become inaccessible”.

William Graham (Opposition Chief Whip and Conservative AM for South Wales East) questions the Assembly Heritage Minister on maximising the potential of the recent discoveries at Caerleon

28^th September 2011 

 

William highlighted the range of recent discoveries at Caerleon; notably the port and harbour wall. 

 

“These along with the amphitheatre, barracks and baths have uplifted Caerleon status as a major site of for the study of all aspects of Roman history”. 

 

“I was pleased that the Minister recognised this and confirmed Assembly support for any campaign for Caerleon to be awarded World Heritage Status”. 

 

“It is vital that we maximise the fullest potential of Caerleon for academic study and attracting tourists; along with economic and social investment”.

Minor Injuries Units

4/10/2011

William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) called upon the Assembly Health Minister to make a statement on Hospital Minor Injuries Units in the Aneurin Bevan Health Board Area.  

“The proposed closure of the minor injuries units at Chepstow, Monmouth and Panteg hospitals will cause great concern to people throughout South Wales East. People need to be re-assured that this service will be continued and how they can access treatment for minor injuries”. 

“I acknowledge that ‘patient safety’ was the driving factor for making these decisions. However the Health Board must now ensure the public are made aware of how they can access the most effective medical care”.  

“Statistic may direct the future provision of health service provision; but we must never lose sight of the fact that these numbers represent real people and their concerns need to be fully addressed”. 

“A Ministerial statement would have offered the best opportunity to raise public awareness and direct them to accessing faster, effective treatment of all injuries”.

MAXIMISNG OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS IN NEWPORT

4/10/2011 

Speaking after Conservative Councillor David Williams presented a petition to Russell George AM on behalf of the National Assembly Petitions Committee calling for the City of Newport to be designated as an enterprise zone, William Graham AM said: 

‘There has been widespread disappointment that the well-established Cardiff Business District has enterprise zone status whereas the underperforming Newport City Centre has been ignored. With so much untapped potential existing in the City I would urge the Minister for Business, Enterprise and technology to consider extending the status to Newport and abandon the sector-oriented approach to Enterprise zones.’   

The Conservative AM for South Wales East also pressed the First Minister during Assembly questions to outline how the Welsh Government has converted the opportunities presented by hosting last year’s Ryder Cup into real achievements, particularly in terms of the levels of inward investment attained: 

‘While the Ryder Cup has left an important legacy of improved infrastructure and boosted golf tourism to Wales by 21% with the sport being worth £42 million to the Welsh economy, predictions that event would yield significant long term investment and new business for the local private sector have been realised with mixed success. The Conservative-led Newport Council has taken an impressive lead in promoting the City as a place to visit and invest, but this must be supported by a Welsh Government strategy focussing on inward investment and maximising opportunities for the area’s existing firms.’ 

‘During the last Assembly the First Minister responded to my requests to  publish a list of firms attracted to Wales after discussions at the Ryder Cup in Celtic Manor by indicating that the Welsh Government had several promising leads but that they had to remain private owing to commercial sensitivity. While the First Minister’s reply today that negotiations with potential investors are still occurring is encouraging, I believe that the Welsh Government should publish a review of their work in attracting investment arising from opportunities presented by hosting the Ryder Cup to gauge the effectiveness of the approach taken.’ 

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