Infertility and the demographic crisis in Europe

I spoke in a meeting at the European Health Forum in Bad Gastein, Austria, on infertility and the demographic crisis in Europe. It is forecast that by 2050 one third of the population will be pensioners and this has massive implications - economically and socially. It is also true that despite the low and falling birthrate, many couples would like more children. Governments could help by having “child friendly” policies - more flexible working, childcare and so on.

But my interest in this subject comes from my own personal experience of infertility. One in six couples suffer from infertility. As I know only too well, fertility treatment doesn’t always work. I have been through it many times and it’s never worked for me. But it often does and could make a significant difference to future popuation figures. We should learn from what is being done in other European countries where couples are offered several courses of free fertility treament. The success rates are good and there is no extra cost to the health service in the long term.

Infertility is an illness. Sufferers are entitled to treatment just as sufferers of other illnesses get treatment. Faced with a demographic crisis this argument takes on another dimension. Support and treatment for infertility sufferers not only helps them but benefits the wider community.

The meeting in Austria was very successful and I hope it raised more awareness of this problem, which is not talked about publicly that often.

My meeting with Welsh Ambulance Chief executive Alan Murray

Yesterday I held a meeting with Welsh Ambulance Chief executive Alan Murray to discuss cuts to ambulance cover in the Rhondda. Mr Murray requested the meeting following concerns I expressed after approaches from a number of constituents. The meeting at the trust’s St Asaph headquarters was also attended by Leanne Wood, AM for South Wales Central.

I was very pleased that we were able to arrange the meeting at short notice and to have detailed discussions about future plans for the ambulance service.

Naturally, Alan Murray is delighted that many targets set by the government were being met, but it is clear that public perception is very different. When members of the public hear that target times are being met, they think in terms of a fully equipped ambulance and crew arriving, but the performance targets refer to the arrival of a resuscitation unit, which could mean trained volunteers rather than fully qualified ambulance staff.

Mr Murray highlighted many long term aims, but, in the meantime, areas such as the Rhondda are facing cuts, whether the trust likes the word or not. Unfortunately there are times when ambulances are being called to non urgent cases because people are having wait for weeks sometimes to see a GP and see this as the only alternative. Certainly there is a need for changes, but there must be more notice taken of circumstances in different localities.

Alan Murray has agreed to provide detailed information about the Rhondda in comparison to neighbouring valleys and this will be very helpful. However, I am disappointed that he will not hold in abeyance the Rhondda ambulance service cuts in the meantime, despite the problems with emergency cover seen in the last few days.

Once the detailed comparative figures have been provided, I will meet Mr Murray again, and hope that people’s concerns in the Rhondda will be properly addressed.

Ambulance cuts in Rhondda!

I’ve asked asked for an urgent meeting with the head of the ambulance services because of the cuts to ambulance cover in the Rhondda.

Ambulances are being cut in areas like the Rhondda to improve response rates in city areas. The Welsh Ambulance Service is more concerned with statistics and meeting targets than improving the level of service in the valleys.

For example, when Treherbert ambulance station closed in 1998 the community were promised that the service wouldn’t be reduced. If these cuts go ahead in Gelli that ambulance will be lost.

Here’s a copy of my letter to Mike Cassidy, Director of Ambulance Services :

Dear Mr. Cassidy

Rhondda ambulance service downgrading

I have been approached by several constituents expressing concerns about the loss of ambulance services in Rhondda.

I understand that the Rhondda will lose one ambulance completely and other services will be downgraded at the end of this month (August 2007). In addition, I also understand this will mean further cuts in the opening and staffing hours of the ambulance stations in Ferndale and Gelli.

This proposal is totally unacceptable and will put Rhondda lives at risk, and I would like an urgent meeting with you to clarify the position.

Jill Evans MEP

Let down by Labour - cancer services in Wales

As if we needed yet another example of how our health service under Labour is failing us, last month the Assembly’s Health Committee published a damning review on cancer services in Wales. It reported a shortfall in basic treatments (including radiotherapy), local health boards not working together and ‘confusion and lack of understanding’ in the NHS.

The good news is that yesteday it was announced that an extra £4.5 million is to be invested into cancer services in Wales.

Every year, 16,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Wales. Therefore improving cancer services must be amongst the top priorities for the Assembly government in its third term. But there has been no indication on what and how this is going to be spent.

We have all heard the stories of our health ‘postcode lottery’ where the chance of surviving cancer is affected by where one lives, where one is treated and whether one has the necessary information. Every year thousands of people die unnecessarily from cancer because their treatment is below standard or is given too late.

And the reluctance of the Labour assembly government in providing brachnytherapy and herceptin shows that they are still not doing enough to address this problem.

As an MEP, I am a member of the MEP’s Against Cancer (MAC) Committee.

It is a cross-party committee with its aim to promote action on cancer as a priority in the EU. It calls upon Health ministers to:

1. Urgently to develop and, where existing, improve national plans, setting priorities and effectively allocating resources for improving cancer control and research across the European Union.

2. Firmly to tackle the socio-economic and geographic divide, which leads to inequalities in cancer control.

3. To make high quality and up to date prevention, treatment and care attainable for all cancer patients in each European Member State.

4. Vigorously to promote cancer awareness in the general public through the existing Europe against Cancer Code, making a special effort in new Member States.

5. To invest in cancer prevention in Member States through implementing the Council Recommendation on Cancer Screening of December 2003 and setting up national high quality screening programmes.

6. To oppose discrimination because of age, race, gender and domicile in respect of the latest cancer treatments.

7. To set up a Cancer Task Force at European level, to exchange best practice and to highlight once again that tackling cancer is a priority and sending a strong political signal that immediate and concerted action is needed now.

Printed by: Jill Evans, 45 Gelligaled Road, Ystrad, Rhondda, CF41 7RQ
Promoted by: Geraint Davies, 6 St. Mary’s Close, Treherbet, Rhondda, CF42 5RL
On behalf of: Jill Evans, 45 Gelligaled Road, Ystrad, Rhondda, CF41 7RQ

Let down by Labour - this time its our nurses

We all know what a mess the health service is in under this government. We all know too the fantastic job done by doctors and nurses despite the problems. So I was disgusted to hear in my meeting with a Rhondda nurse this week that their pay is actually being cut by the government. A new pay system has been brought in and many will lose hundreds of pounds a year. Even the annual pay rise is being staggered between April and November which means it won’t be worth 2.5% but instead will go down to 1.9%. Inflation now is 4.6%.

But I also read this week that the Scottish Parliament decided to give nurses in Scotland their pay rise in one go on April 1st. The Assembly in Wales doen’t have the power to even do that!

It really is time for a change in the way the health service is run. It should be rooted in our local communities and be about promoting wellbeing as well as treating illness. A Plaid Cymru government would stop the hospital closure programme (delayed by Labour until after the elections in May) and create a new community health service for the people of Wales.