Calling for a Welsh Government Statement on support for people with Cerebral Palsy in Wales during today's Business Statement in the Senedd, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood raised concern that inadequate funding for a vital early intervention programme is leaving some babies with the condition without support.
Speaking in Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, and ahead of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day tomorrow (25th March), Mr. Isherwood said that Cerebral Palsy Cymru's 'Better Start, Better Future' programme is having to turn away babies due to insufficient funding.
Calling for an urgent Statement on the matter from the Welsh Government, he said:
"This is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and tomorrow is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day.
"Cerebral Palsy remains the most common physical disability in children worldwide, with over 6,000 people living with the condition in Wales and a baby diagnosed every five days.
"Throughout this month, Cerebral Palsy Cymru are raising awareness of the vital work they do.
"However, for the first time in their 32-year history, they are turning away babies who would benefit from their expertise and life-changing support, after being forced to reduce their world-leading early intervention programme, ‘Better Start, Better Future’, due to insufficient funding, and to prioritise only the highest-risk babies, leaving others without support, and increasing long-term costs to the NHS and social care.
"Without sustainable funding of £300,000 annually, they are currently running at just 30% capacity.
"I call for an urgent Statement accordingly, where Welsh Government should ensure that babies at risk of cerebral palsy receive clinically proven early intervention, designing and delivering services with third-sector organisations."
Responding, the Trefnydd (Business Manager) Jane Hutt said:
"Thank you for drawing attention for this time of focus on support for people with cerebral palsy, particularly looking at this in terms of the early intervention and support system. It is important that you put this on record, and I'm sure that this will then reflect in terms of parties' commitments and manifestos and, indeed, the seventh Senedd's and the seventh Government's recognition of these needs."
Speaking later, Mr Isherwood said:
“This Welsh Government is leaving a terrible legacy for its successor to deal with, betraying the life chances of all the babies affected."
