English: Minister, we all know that the battle against cancer will often be the most difficult battle that any person and, indeed, their family will face in their lifetime. It is society's solemn responsibility to provide them with the best care, treatment and support possible, in order to have the best chance of beating and surviving this truly devastating illness. However, on the watch of this Labour Government, thousands of residents across Wales have been let down in their time of need. We are seeing a tsunami of missed cancer diagnoses, and a growing number of later stage cancers as a direct result of pausing NHS services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, though, this issue has not crept up on the Welsh Government, with cancer waiting targets not met since 2008 and with only 56 per cent of patients receiving treatment within 62 days across Wales. Additionally, Wales cancer intelligence unit data shows that Wales has the lowest survival rates for six cancers, and the second lowest for three across the UK. The Welsh Government's failure to address this matter pre pandemic has only served to compound the issue. Alarmingly, just four months ago, it was reported that only 57.9 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer started their direct definitive treatment within 62 days of first being suspected of cancer. That's far below the 75 per cent target. In that same month, it was reported that over 27,000 people were waiting for radiology services after being referred by the consultant for cancer diagnostic work, with one in eight of these people waiting more than 14 weeks. A further 30,000 people were waiting for radiology diagnostics after being referred by their GP. As it stands, Wales will soon be the only country in the United Kingdom not to have a cancer strategy. I urge the Minister to ensure fast implementation on this. Furthermore, it is recognised that radiotherapy and chemotherapy can have a detrimental impact on dental health. However, free dental medical assistance is not currently offered to these patients, leaving these individuals in more pain and feeling rather unsupported. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a golden opportunity for the Welsh Government to review, and for you to amend your approach. Cancer Research Wales has highlighted that Wales needs a futureproofed, sustainable cancer workforce. They highlight the significant gaps and variation within the diagnostic, treatment and nursing workforce. Consultant radiologist posts remain vacant. They advise that developments such as the single suspected cancer pathway are welcome, but can only achieve so much without the right staff in situ. So, Minister, will you listen to these organisations that work extremely hard, trying to support people with cancer? Will you publish a workforce recruitment and retention plan for cancer specialists? And will you publish a detailed and comprehensive cancer strategy to set out how Wales will tackle cancer over the next five years, aside from bringing the relevant legislation before this Senedd to provide free dental care to patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy? I think that we all know, stood here today or sat here today, that considerable change is required, and urgently. The people battling cancer now and their families do not have the time to watch this Government continue to fail to meet its targets. I am going to make a personal plea. I have raised this with the First Minister, Minister. I have had situations where my constituents have approached me, where they have received a very fatal diagnosis on the telephone. One of them was at 3.20 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. The family were devastated by this, and that then impacted on the person's well-being. The First Minister said that it's up to clinicians to decide how they tell their patients that they have cancer. In this instance, they weren't clinicians, they were administrative staff. That is not the way to learn that you have cancer. Certainly, at 3.20 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, imagine their defeat and their fear. When asked, 'Well, what's the next stage?', it was, 'We'll be in touch.' Three weeks later, they approached me, and believe me, I was able to then say to the health board, 'Please help these people.' That should not happen, and that is first-hand experience of what is happening. I thank you for listening, Minister. Diolch.
Welsh: Weinidog, gwyddom i gyd mai'r frwydr yn erbyn canser yn aml fydd y frwydr anoddaf y bydd unrhyw berson, a'u teuluoedd yn wir, yn ei hwynebu yn ystod eu hoes. Cyfrifoldeb dwys cymdeithas yw rhoi'r gofal, y driniaeth a'r cymorth gorau posibl iddynt, er mwyn iddynt gael y cyfle gorau i guro a goroesi'r salwch gwirioneddol ddinistriol hwn. Fodd bynnag, o dan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon, cafodd miloedd o drigolion ledled Cymru gam pan oeddent fwyaf o angen cefnogaeth. Gwelwn y tswnami o achosion canser y methwyd gwneud diagnosis ohonynt, a nifer cynyddol o ganserau ar gam diweddarach o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i ohirio gwasanaethau'r GIG yn ystod pandemig COVID-19. Yn y pen draw, fodd bynnag, nid yw'r mater hwn wedi codi'n ddisymwth i Lywodraeth Cymru, gyda thargedau aros canser heb eu cyrraedd ers 2008 a chyda 56 y cant yn unig o gleifion yn cael triniaeth o fewn 62 diwrnod ledled Cymru. Yn ogystal, mae data uned gwybodaeth canser Cymru yn dangos mai Cymru sydd â'r cyfraddau goroesi isaf ar gyfer chwe math o ganser, a'r ail isaf ar gyfer tri math, ar draws y DU. Mae methiant Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem cyn y pandemig wedi ei gwaethygu. Yn frawychus, bedwar mis yn ôl yn unig, adroddwyd mai dim ond 57.9 y cant o gleifion sydd wedi cael diagnosis newydd o ganser a ddechreuodd eu triniaeth ddiffiniol uniongyrchol o fewn 62 diwrnod i'r diwrnod yr amheuwyd gyntaf bod ganddynt ganser. Mae hynny'n llawer is na'r targed o 75 y cant. Yn yr un mis, adroddwyd bod dros 27,000 o bobl yn aros am wasanaethau radioleg ar ôl cael eu cyfeirio gan y meddyg ymgynghorol am waith diagnostig canser, gydag un o bob wyth o'r bobl hyn yn aros mwy na 14 wythnos. Roedd 30,000 o bobl eraill yn aros am ddiagnosteg radioleg ar ôl cael eu cyfeirio gan eu meddyg teulu. Fel y mae, Cymru fydd yr unig wlad yn y Deyrnas Unedig cyn bo hir i fod heb strategaeth canser. Rwy'n annog y Gweinidog i sicrhau bod hyn yn cael ei weithredu'n gyflym. At hynny, cydnabyddir y gall radiotherapi a chemotherapi gael effaith niweidiol ar iechyd deintyddol. Fodd bynnag, ni chynigir cymorth meddygol deintyddol am ddim i'r cleifion hyn yn awr, sy'n eu gadael mewn mwy o boen ac yn teimlo nad ydynt yn cael fawr o gefnogaeth. Wrth i ni gefnu ar bandemig COVID-19, dyma gyfle euraidd i Lywodraeth Cymru adolygu, ac i chi ddiwygio eich dull o weithredu. Mae Cancer Research Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod angen gweithlu canser cynaliadwy ar Gymru i ddiogelu ar gyfer y dyfodol. Maent yn tynnu sylw at y bylchau a'r amrywio sylweddol o fewn y gweithluoedd diagnostig, triniaeth a nyrsio. Erys swyddi radiolegwyr ymgynghorol yn wag. Maent yn dweud bod datblygiadau fel y llwybr sengl lle'r amheuir canser i'w groesawu, ond ni allant gyflawni mwy na hyn a hyn heb y staff cywir. Felly, Weinidog, a wnewch chi wrando ar y sefydliadau sy'n gweithio'n eithriadol o galed yn ceisio cefnogi pobl â chanser? A wnewch chi gyhoeddi cynllun recriwtio a chadw'r gweithlu ar gyfer arbenigwyr canser? Ac a wnewch chi gyhoeddi strategaeth ganser fanwl a chynhwysfawr i nodi sut y bydd Cymru'n ymladd canser dros y pum mlynedd nesaf, yn ogystal â dod â'r ddeddfwriaeth berthnasol gerbron y Senedd hon i ddarparu gofal deintyddol am ddim i gleifion sy'n cael radiotherapi a chemotherapi? Credaf ein bod i gyd yn gwybod, wrth sefyll yma heddiw neu wrth eistedd yma heddiw, fod angen newid sylweddol, ac ar frys. Mae pobl yn brwydro canser yn awr ac nid oes gan eu teuluoedd amser i wylio'r Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i fethu cyrraedd ei thargedau. Rwy'n mynd i wneud apêl bersonol. Weinidog, rwyf wedi trafod hyn gyda'r Prif Weinidog. Cefais sefyllfaoedd lle y mae fy etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi, lle y maent wedi cael diagnosis angheuol iawn drwy alwad ffôn. Roedd un ohonynt am 3.20 p.m ar brynhawn dydd Gwener. Cafodd y teulu eu distrywio gan hyn, ac effeithiodd hynny wedyn ar les y person. Dywedodd y Prif Weinidog mai mater i glinigwyr yw penderfynu sut y maent yn dweud wrth eu cleifion fod ganddynt ganser. Yn yr achos hwn, nid oeddent yn glinigwyr, staff gweinyddol oeddent. Nid dyna'r ffordd i glywed bod gennych ganser. Yn sicr, am 3.20 p.m. ar brynhawn dydd Gwener, dychmygwch eu diymadferthedd a'u hofn. Pan wnaethant ofyn, 'Wel, beth yw'r cam nesaf?', yr ateb oedd, 'Fe ddown i gysylltiad.' Dair wythnos yn ddiweddarach, fe wnaethant gysylltu â mi, a chredwch fi, gallwn ddweud wedyn wrth y bwrdd iechyd, 'Helpwch y bobl hyn.' Ni ddylai hynny ddigwydd, a dyna brofiad uniongyrchol o'r hyn sy'n digwydd. Diolch am wrando, Weinidog.