English: Thank you, Minister, for the statement. I have to say that I'm both shocked and saddened by what I saw in this report and the findings, and, like others, my thoughts, first and foremost, are with the families, many of whom are my constituents, of course, that have been affected by the failings in the Cwm Taf maternity services. While I know that many women have had good experiences and good care within Cwm Taf, too many have not, and right now they have to be the focus of our concerns. There are many aspects of the report that I'd like to address with you, which include data accuracy, patient dignity, inadequate support for staff, lack of professional development training, reviews of serious incidents, poor clinical practice, inappropriate staff management, reluctance of staff to exercise their duty of candour and, of course, who actually takes ultimate responsibility within the health board. But, due to the limited time today, I will do that with you outside of this session and in direct discussions with the health board. Today, I'll just focus my comments on three particular areas and try not to repeat what others have said. Firstly, the poor governance of maternity services in Cwm Taf is clearly of grave concern, and, whilst staffing levels are something that must be addressed, I have to say that, even if we had optimum staffing but those services are not properly managed, then we're still going to have the same problems. So, I'm particularly concerned at the statement in the report relating to false assurances given to the board by the senior executive team about the service, and I'd like to know what that means and what is going to be done about that. Secondly, in relation to the decision in 2014 to move the consultant-led services onto one site, do you know what risk assessment was undertaken regarding the impact of staffing on that decision, given that most midwives based at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital would naturally look towards Cardiff or Bridgend and not Merthyr when considering employment changes? And why, as it appears, were the staffing issues consequent on that decision left to the last minute to address when the board has had five years to plan for it? Finally, it will be vital to ensure that the service is not destabilised during this period of intervention, so what assurances will you and the health board be giving to prospective mothers about the safety of maternity services in Cwm Taf now, and how that will be communicated Minister, within the Cwm Taf area, many of us will have both a political and a personal interest in ensuring that maternity services are fit for purpose, and, indeed, my first grandchild is due to be born at Prince Charles Hospital in August, so, while I welcome the proposed actions set out in your statement, what are the timescales within which you expect the health board to deliver the changes that are needed?
Welsh: Diolch i chi, Gweinidog, am y datganiad. Mae'n rhaid imi ddweud fy mod i wedi fy siomi a'm tristáu gan yr hyn a welais yn yr adroddiad hwn a'r darganfyddiadau, ac, fel eraill, mae fy meddyliau i, yn gyntaf oll, gyda'r teuluoedd, y mae llawer ohonyn nhw'n etholwyr i mi, wrth gwrs, sydd wedi cael eu heffeithio gan y diffygion yng ngwasanaethau mamolaeth Cwm Taf. Er fy mod yn gwybod bod llawer o fenywod wedi cael profiadau da a gofal da yng Nghwm Taf, mae gormod ohonyn nhw heb gael hynny, ac ar hyn o bryd mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw fod yn ganolbwynt i'n pryderon. Ceir sawl agwedd ar yr adroddiad yr hoffwn eu trafod gyda chi, sy'n cynnwys cywirdeb data, urddas cleifion, cymorth annigonol i staff, diffyg hyfforddiant datblygiad proffesiynol, adolygiadau o ddigwyddiadau difrifol, arfer clinigol gwael, rheolaeth staff amhriodol, amharodrwydd staff i arfer eu dyletswydd o fod yn ddidwyll ac, wrth gwrs, pwy yn union sydd â'r cyfrifoldeb terfynol yn y bwrdd iechyd. Ond, oherwydd prinder amser heddiw, fe wnaf i hynny gyda chi y tu allan i'r sesiwn hon a chynnal trafodaethau uniongyrchol gyda'r bwrdd iechyd. Heddiw, hoffwn ganolbwyntio fy sylwadau ar dri maes penodol a cheisio peidio ag ailadrodd yr hyn y mae eraill wedi ei ddweud. Yn gyntaf, mae llywodraethu gwael yng ngwasanaethau mamolaeth Cwm Taf yn amlwg yn destun pryder mawr ac, er bod lefelau staffio yn rhywbeth y mae'n rhaid rhoi sylw iddo, mae'n rhaid imi ddweud, hyd yn oed pe byddai gennym ni'r staffio gorau posib ond na fyddai'r gwasanaethau hynny'n cael eu rheoli'n briodol, yna fe fyddai'r un problemau gennym ni o hyd. Felly, rwy'n arbennig o ofidus am y datganiad yn yr adroddiad sy'n ymwneud â'r ffug sicrwydd a roddwyd i'r bwrdd gan yr uwch dîm gweithredol ynglŷn â'r gwasanaeth, ac fe hoffwn i wybod beth mae hynny'n ei olygu a beth gaiff ei wneud ynglŷn â hynny. Yn ail, o ran y penderfyniad yn 2014 i symud y gwasanaethau dan arweiniad meddygon ymgynghorol i un safle, a ydych chi'n gwybod pa asesiad risg a gynhaliwyd ynghylch effaith staffio ar y penderfyniad hwnnw, o gofio y byddai'r rhan fwyaf o fydwragedd yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Morgannwg yn naturiol yn edrych tuag at Gaerdydd neu Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr ac nid Merthyr wrth ystyried newidiadau cyflogaeth? A pham, fel y mae'n ymddangos, y gadawyd pethau i'r funud olaf cyn rhoi sylw i'r materion staffio o ganlyniad i'r penderfyniad hwnnw tra bod y bwrdd wedi cael pum mlynedd i gynllunio ar gyfer hynny? Yn olaf, bydd yn hanfodol sicrhau nad yw'r gwasanaeth yn cael ei ansefydlogi yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o ymyrraeth. Felly pa sicrwydd y byddwch chi a'r bwrdd iechyd yn ei roi i ddarpar famau ynghylch diogelwch gwasanaethau mamolaeth Chwm Taf ar hyn o bryd, a sut y bydd hynny'n cael ei gyfleu. Gweinidog, yn ardal Cwm Taf, bydd gan lawer ohonom ddiddordeb gwleidyddol a phersonol i sicrhau y bydd y gwasanaethau mamolaeth yn addas at y diben, ac, yn wir, bydd fy ŵyr cyntaf yn cael ei eni yn ysbyty'r Tywysog Siarl ym mis Awst. Felly, er fy mod yn croesawu'r camau arfaethedig a nodir yn eich datganiad, beth yw'r amserlenni yr ydych yn disgwyl i'r bwrdd iechyd eu cyrraedd er mwyn cyflawni'r newidiadau sy'n angenrheidiol?