Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep Members informed. Should Members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions when the National Assembly returns I would be happy to do so.


In my Written Statement of 12 July I informed Members that Southern Cross had announced that trading in its shares had been suspended and its restructuring process would see the operation of all the company’s care homes being transferred to their landlords and alternative providers of care. This represented a phase in the ongoing process, agreed between the company, its landlords and lenders, for a consensual, solvent restructuring. Discussions to resolve the remaining steps are continuing.


A further announcement was made on 18 July by one of Southern Cross’ landlords, NHP Health Care, who own the majority of the care homes in Wales affected. NHP confirmed that it has retained approximately £14m of imminently due loan interest payments in order to make provision for the working capital requirements of a new operating company that NHP expects to emerge at the end of the current consensual restructuring process. They advised that Court Cavendish, the health and social care specialists currently retained as advisers to NHP, had provisionally accepted its invitation to join NHP in setting up this new operating company. NHP stated that it intends at the end of the agreed four month handover period, to create with Court Cavendish a new operating company in order to put its 249 homes in the UK onto a firm financial footing and to provide certainty and continuity of care.  This new company will continue to rely on the existing Southern Cross staff who manage its 249 homes (including those in Wales) and the back office services delivered by Southern Cross' existing infrastructure to ensure continuity of care and operations.


This latest announcement made has no immediate effect on the provision of care or the operation of care homes. Southern Cross remains in business and will continue to operate all its care homes until transfers to new operators have taken place. We understand that this process is expected to be completed by the end of October. Discussions with the company have emphasised that all parties should set out their plans as swiftly as possible, so as to offer reassurance to residents and families. As these arrangements are finalised progress reports will be issued by the company. We are informed that the transfer of Southern Cross care homes to alternative care operators will be a managed process that ensures continuity of care for residents. Southern Cross has withdrawn its statutory redundancy notice and given an undertaking to care home staff that they will transfer to new operators on their current terms.


I want to make clear that no transfer of homes will take place without new operators having been approved and registered by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales. The statutory requirements demand that any alternative operators will need to be reputable and experienced care providers that can satisfy CSSIW that they are capable of delivering high\-quality care and of meeting all regulatory standards. Discussions between CSSIW and NHP and the proposed new operators will now be taken forward. They, and any other new providers identified who are not currently registered with CSSIW, will be required to make a new application for registration to provide care, which will be subject to full scrutiny and a determination of fitness to provide the service. CSSIW’s principal concern is the safety of service users and it will not compromise on the standards required. Officials continue to maintain close contact with Southern Cross’ senior management and also with the Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru, the Welsh Local Government and Local Health Boards to ensure effective contingency plans are in place.  

   

I have been asked whether I am considering measures needed to prevent similar situations from arising again. Options for financial regulation or other measures will be considered as part of the development of the forthcoming Social Services Bill.


Over the summer recess period, there may be further developments in respect of the transition of Southern Cross homes in Wales to new operators. I will ensure that Members are kept informed of any significant progress or change in that process.


There are clear protections in place that cover the situation in relation to Southern Cross. No resident, whether publicly or self funded, will be left without a home or care. In an emergency, a local authority has the powers to provide residential accommodation to anyone who had an urgent need for it. A local authority would continue to provide care for any self\-funding resident who was unable to find or arrange care for themselves.







Translation:


 
Mae’r datganiad hwn yn cael ei ryddhau yn ystod toriad yr haf er mwyn hysbysu’r Aelodau. Byddaf yn barod iawn i gyflwyno datganiad pellach neu ateb cwestiynau ar ôl i’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ddychwelyd pe bai’r Aelodau’n dymuno i mi wneud hynny.


Yn fy Natganiad Ysgrifenedig dyddiedig 12 Gorffennaf, dywedais wrth yr Aelodau fod Southern Cross wedi cyhoeddi bod masnachu yn ei gyfranddaliadau wedi’i atal ac y byddai’r broses ailstrwythuro yn golygu bod gweithrediad holl gartrefi gofal y cwmni yn cael ei drosglwyddo i’w landlordiaid a darparwyr gofal eraill. Roedd hyn yn cynrychioli cyfnod yn y broses barhaus, a gytunwyd rhwng y cwmni, ei landlordiaid a benthycwyr, ar gyfer ailstrwythuro cydsyniol a diddyled. Mae trafodaethau’n parhau i ddatrys y camau sy’n weddill. 


Cafwyd cyhoeddiad pellach ar 18 Gorffennaf gan un o landlordiaid Southern Cross,  NHP Health Care, sydd berchen ar y rhan fwyaf o’r cartrefi gofal yng Nghymru a effeithiwyd. Cadarnhaodd NHP ei fod wedi cadw oddeutu £14m o daliadau llog ar fenthyciad  er mwyn gwneud darpariaeth ar gyfer gofynion cyfalaf gweithio cwmni newydd y mae NHP yn disgwyl iddo ymddangos ar ddiwedd y broses gydsyniol bresennol o ailstrwythuro. Nododd NHP bod Court Cavendish, yr arbenigwyr iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol sy’n cynghori NHP, wedi derbyn yn amodol y gwahoddiad i ymuno â NHP i sefydlu’r cwmni gweithredol newydd hwn. Datganodd NHP ei fod, ar ddiwedd y cyfnod trosglwyddo pedwar mis a gytunwyd, yn bwriadu creu cwmni gweithredol newydd gyda Court Cavendish er mwyn gosod ei 249 o gartrefi yn y DU ar sylfaen ariannol cadarn, ac i ddarparu sicrwydd a dilyniant mewn gofal. Bydd y cwmni newydd hwn yn parhau i ddibynnu ar staff presennol Southern Cross, sy’n rheoli 249 o gartrefi (gan gynnwys cartrefi yng Nghymru) a’r gwasanaethau cefn swyddfa a ddarperir gan seilwaith presennol Southern Cross i sicrhau dilyniant mewn gofal a pharhad gweithrediadau.


Ni fydd y cyhoeddiad diweddaraf hwn yn cael unrhyw effaith ar unwaith ar y ddarpariaeth ofal nac ar weithrediad cartrefi gofal. Mae Southern Cross yn parhau mewn busnes a bydd yn parhau i redeg pob un o’i gartrefi gofal hyd nes y bydd trosglwyddiadau i weithredwyr newydd wedi digwydd. Deallwn y disgwylir i’r broses hon fod wedi’i chwblhau erbyn diwedd mis Hydref.  Mewn trafodaethau â’r cwmni, pwysleisiwyd y dylai pob un o’r partïon amlinellu eu cynlluniau mor gyflym â phosibl, er mwyn rhoi sicrwydd i breswylwyr a’u teuluoedd. Bydd y cwmni’n rhyddhau adroddiadau cynnydd wrth i’r trefniadau hyn gael eu cwblhau. Hysbyswyd ni y bydd trosglwyddo cartrefi gofal Southern Cross i ddwylo gweithredwyr gofal eraill yn broses a fydd yn cael ei rheoli, gan sicrhau dilyniant mewn gofal i breswylwyr. Mae Southern Cross wedi tynnu ei rybudd diswyddo statudol yn ôl, gan wneud ymrwymiad i staff cartrefi gofal y byddant yn trosglwyddo i ddwylo gweithredwyr newydd ar eu telerau presennol.


Rwyf am ei gwneud yn eglur na fydd unrhyw drosglwyddo cartrefi yn digwydd heb i weithredwyr newydd fod wedi’u cymeradwyo a’u cofrestru gan Arolygiaeth Gofal a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru.  Mae’r gofynion statudol yn mynnu y bydd yn rhaid i unrhyw weithredwyr amgen fod ag enw da ac yn brofiadol fel darparwyr gofal, ac yn gallu bodloni AGGCC eu bod yn abl i ddarparu gofal o ansawdd uchel ac i fodloni’r holl safonau rheoleiddio. Bydd trafodaethau rhwng AGGCC ac NHP a’r gweithredwyr newydd arfaethedig yn mynd rhagddynt. Bydd yn ofynnol iddynt hwy, ac unrhyw ddarparwyr newydd eraill nad ydynt ar hyn o bryd wedi’u cofrestru gydag AGGCC, gyflwyno cais newydd i gofrestru i ddarparu gofal. Bydd y cais yn agored i’w graffu arno’n llawn cyn pennu addasrwydd i ddarparu gwasanaeth. Prif gonsýrn AGGCC yw diogelwch defnyddwyr gwasanaeth, ac nid yw’n fodlon cyfaddawdu ar y safonau sy’n ofynnol. Mae swyddogion yn cadw mewn cysylltiad agos ag uwch reolwyr Southern Cross a hefyd â Chymdeithas Cyfarwyddwyr Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru a Byrddau Iechyd Lleol er mwyn sicrhau bod cynlluniau effeithiol wrth gefn wedi’u sefydlu.  

   

Gofynnwyd i mi a wyf yn ystyried y mesurau angenrheidiol sydd angen eu cymryd er mwyn atal sefyllfaoedd tebyg rhag codi eto. Ystyrir opsiynau ar gyfer rheoleiddio ariannol neu fesurau eraill yn rhan o ddatblygiad y Mesur Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol arfaethedig.


Gall fod datblygiadau pellach dros gyfnod toriad yr haf yng nghyswllt trosglwyddo cartrefi Southern Cross yng Nghymru i ddwylo gweithredwyr newydd. Byddaf yn sicrhau bod Aelodau’n cael gwybod am unrhyw gynnydd neu newid arwyddocaol yn y broses honno. 


Mae mesurau diogelu clir wedi’u sefydlu yn wyneb y sefyllfa yng nghyswllt Southern Cross. Ni fydd unrhyw breswylwyr, boed wedi’u hariannu’n gyhoeddus neu’n eu hariannu eu hunain, yn cael eu gadael heb gartref neu heb ofal. Mewn argyfwng, mae gan awdurdod lleol bwerau i ddarparu llety preswyl i unrhyw un sydd ag angen brys amdano. Byddai awdurdod lleol yn parhau i ddarparu gofal i unrhyw breswylwyr sy’n eu hariannu eu hunain ac yn methu â dod o hyd i ofal neu’n methu â threfnu gofal drostynt eu hunain.