Seriously, why are we still relying on paper appointment letters? It's 2024!
Why are we still posting out paper appointment letters for the NHS? We know half of them get lost, arrive late, or are just ignored. It’s a ridiculous waste of time and money, and it’s actively making waiting lists worse because people miss their slots. My departments spend hours chasing up patients who never got the letter, or who turned up on the wrong day because it was delayed.
My proposal is simple: ditch the paper and go digital, but properly. We need a secure, user-friendly app or portal where patients can see all their upcoming appointments across the NHS in Wales, get instant notifications, and confirm or reschedule easily. Think like a flight booking app, but for your doctor. It would link directly into the hospital’s booking system.
This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about efficiency.
Stop giving Lottery money to museums no one visits, start funding local arts centres!
Why are we still giving National Lottery Heritage Fund cash to the same few big national museums that already get massive public funding, when so many local arts centres and community hubs are struggling to keep the lights on? It makes no sense. These small places are actually where most people engage with culture, even if it's just a local theatre group or a pottery class.
My proposal is simple: redirect a significant chunk of that Lottery money away from the already well-funded big players and create a dedicated fund for smaller, community-based arts and cultural organisations across the UK, with a specific ring-fenced portion for Wales. This fund would prioritise projects that demonstrate genuine community involvement and access, not just flashy renovations for buildings that are already tourist traps.
Think about it.
Enough already – let's just get serious about tidal power in Wales
We should immediately commit to funding and building a significant tidal energy project in the Severn Estuary. This isn't some futuristic dream; it's a proven technology that could provide consistent, clean power for Wales and the wider UK for decades. The potential is enormous, and frankly, it's baffling we're still talking about it instead of doing it.
Right now, our energy grid is too reliant on intermittent sources like wind and solar, which are great but need backup. Tidal power provides a predictable baseline power source that runs 24/7, unaffected by the weather. Imagine a power system that doesn't blink when the sun goes down or the wind drops. That's what tidal offers, and the Severn Estuary is one of the best locations in the world for it.
Of course, there are costs and environmental considerations, but these are manageable with proper planning and investment, not reasons to shy away.
Assisted Dying Vote is a Mess. Let's Get Serious About Palliative Care Instead.
We need a national, fully funded, specialist palliative care strategy, integrated with local services, to be implemented across the UK, starting with Wales. This isn't about the assisted dying debate, it's about giving people real choices at the end of their lives, which means ensuring they aren't suffering unnecessarily or feeling like a burden because their pain isn't managed. MPs voting it down is just kicking the can down the road.
Currently, the quality of end-of-life care is a postcode lottery. My sister-in-law, who has terminal cancer, has had excellent support from her local hospice team, but a friend whose mother passed away last year from a different condition felt they were left to manage severe pain with minimal district nurse input. It’s shocking that access to good pain management and specialist support can depend so much on where you live.
Real Energy Solutions: Powering Wales Affordably and Sustainably
It’s understandable people are worried about energy bills. Of course, we need affordable power. But the idea that we can just keep burning gas indefinitely is not a solution, it’s kicking the can down the road for our kids to deal with. We’re already seeing the effects of climate change impacting our weather and our health services, which are already stretched thin. Pretending we can ignore the environment while trying to save a few quid today is just short-sighted.
We need a serious, long-term strategy for energy that actually works for Wales. That means investing properly in renewables like wind and solar, and crucially, upgrading our grid to handle them. We also need to look at energy storage solutions so we’re not reliant on the weather. And yes, we should be exploring nuclear power too. It’s about building a secure, clean energy future, not clinging to the past.
What do you think?
Vote on individual policies, adapt them, or write your own alternative. Good ideas should be tested.