Update on RCPsych in Wales Consultations

Consultation / Overview / Update
Welsh Government: Improving Access to Substance Misuse Treatment for Veterans / The Welsh Government is seeking views on improving access to substance misuse treatment for veterans. This document will form part of the Substance Misuse Treatment Framework (SMTF) and is intended to inform the development of local care pathways. It will be relevant to practitioners and those responsible for planning and managing services. / The deadline for responses is 20 August.
The South Wales Programme: the future of consultant-led maternity and neonatal care, inpatient children’s services and emergency medicine (A&E) for South Wales and South Powys / The five South Wales Health Boards (ABMU, ABHB, C&V, Cwm Taf, and Powys) and the Welsh Ambulance Service have coordinated their plans for the future of maternity, neo-natal, paediatric, and A&E services in the South Wales Programme. The overall aim of the changes is to concentrate these services in a smaller number of hospitals. The plans give four possible options outlining which hospitals will continue to provide the services. Two options outline the services being available in four hospitals and two options outline the services being available in five hospitals. / RCPsych in Wales submitted a response on 17 July. You can access this and all other consultation responses here.
Welsh Government: Criminal Justice Liaison Services in Wales - Policy Implementation Guidance / The Welsh Government developed Policy Implementation Guidance to set out the minimum levels of service outcomes, performance monitoring and governance arrangements for Criminal Justice Liaison Services in Wales. Its aims were to simplify arrangements between criminal justice and health and social care and to ensure appropriate and timely interventions for people in custody. / The Welsh Government are currently considering responses. They plan to publish the guidance in late summer. One popular point raised during the Consultation is to create a National Forum to push through the CJLS agenda. If this were to be created, we would hope for Psychiatric representation on this group.
The ID faculty raised a concern that the various Mental Health and Criminal Justice Planning Groups (MHCJPGs) had little or no psychiatric representation. We have contacted the Chairs of the groups and are waiting for their responses.
The Social Care and Well-being (Wales) Bill consultation / The Health and Social Care Committee recently considered the general principles of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill (Stage 1). The Bill aims to reform and integrate social services law for people and make provision for improving the well-being outcomes for people who need care and support, and carers who need support; co-ordination and partnership by public authorities with a view to improving the well-being of people; complaints and representations relating to social care and palliative care; local authorities’ social service functions and that of Welsh Ministers to intervene in a local authority’s exercise of its social services functions; and connected purposes. / The College responded to the Committee’s inquiry. At the request of Central College we included in our response the need for the Welsh Government to include a statement on prohibiting the use of physical punishment.
Last week, the Welsh Government’s Social Care and Well-being (Wales) Bill passed Stage 1 where the general principles of the Bill were agreed by the National Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee.The Committee produced a report and despite agreeing the general principles of the Bill they raised concerns that there is a lack of detail, information and guidance on how this can be implemented. Their particular concern is regarding the national eligibility criteria which will determine how a person’s needs are assessed.
The Committee took on board the College’s and other organisation’s recommendation that they use this Bill to criminalise the use of physical punishment against children. However, they decided against removal of the term ‘reasonable punishment’ for legal reasons but are considering using other vehicles to influence and teach parents, "through the promotion of positive alternatives".
The Ministry of Justice: Transforming Youth Custody: Putting education at the heart of detention / This Paper outlines the Government’s plans for placing high quality education at the centre of youth custody, introducing ‘Secure Colleges’ which would have tailored education to young people in custody, meeting the wider needs of young people in custody, and closing the gap between custody and community. RCPsych in Wales fed into a response from the Central College. / The Ministry of Justice is currently considering the responses that they have received.
Public Health Bill for Wales / The Welsh Government published a Green Paper to consider whether legislation could help to improve overall health and wellbeing in Wales. It asks whether new legislation would provide an effective way of making further progress in tackling issues such as obesity, smoking, and diabetes. / The Welsh Government has published a summary of responses.

A final decision to introduce legislation has not yet been taken. Further updates are expected later in 2013.
Legislation to end violence against women and domestic abuse (Wales) / This White Paper consultation outlines the policy and legislative proposals aimed at ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. The proposalsfocus on three specific areas: improving leadership and accountability; improving education and awareness; and strengthening services in Wales. The proposed legislation aims to help Wales take steps forward ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. / We are still waiting for the WG to publish the responses of the Consultation. This should be published before the end of the year.
Smoke-free Premises etc. (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 / The National Assembly for Wales’s Enterprise and Business Committee and Health and Social Care Committee took evidence on the Smoke-free Premises etc. (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012, which would allow for an exemption to the ban for TV and film where artistic licensing was compromised. / In May, the Health Minister Mark Drakeford and the Economy Minister Edwina Hart, Government announced that plans to introduce a smoking ban exemption would be dropped. There was overwhelming opposition from several health organisations including Mark Drakeford himself.
Written statement from Mark Drakeford

The Government Alcohol Strategy / The Government’s alcohol strategy introduced plans to change the culture of drinking, the levels of violence caused by alcohol, and cut the numbers of those whose health is severely damaged through drink. Among the many proposals included an introductory price per unit of alcohol. / The Government has decided to shelve plans to introduce an introductory price per unit of alcohol. The College has written a letter in response.
RCPsych made a written statement:
The Strategy for Older People in Wales (Phase 3) 2013 - 2023 / The Strategy for Older People was first launched in 2003 to address the issues and aspirations of people aged 50 + living in Wales. The Welsh Government drafted their Strategy for Older People in Wales (Phase 3) 2013-2023 in January and requested feedback. The Strategy covers the topics of wellbeing, contribution and participation, age-friendly communities, poverty and preparation for later life. / The Strategy for Older People in Wales has now been published, titled Living Longer: Ageing Well

Placing children on remand in secure accommodation / The Welsh Government set out proposed amendments to the Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991 governing the circumstances in which a local authority can place a child in secure accommodation where that child is remanded in custody (refused bail) in the course of criminal or extradition proceedings or has been detained by the police under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). Questions were centered on revoking the “modified test” (reg. 6(2) of the Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991) in favour of the “welfare test” (section 25(10( of the Children Act 1989). / We are still waiting for the WG to publish the responses of the Consultation.
Proposals to improve services for children and young people in the Youth Justice System / The Welsh Government published a Green Paper setting out proposals to improve the services provided for children and young people at risk of or in the youth justice system, including substance misuse and mental health services. The Government is looking into ways to use their devolved powers to make existing services work better alongside the youth justice system. The Green Paper highlights the prevalence of substance misuse, mental health issues and SEN in many offenders and the difficulty for young people accessing CAMHS. / We are still waiting for the WG to publish the responses of the Consultation.
They are currently coordinating their next steps with the Welsh Government
They plan to publish this summer.