The South Wales Police and Crime Panel meeting on 18 June 2024 focused on updates to the Right Care Right Person initiative, financial monitoring, and the Police and Crime Plan. The panel also discussed the retirement of Alun Michael as Police and Crime Commissioner.

Right Care Right Person

Alun Michael, Police and Crime Commissioner, introduced the Right Care Right Person initiative, a Welsh partnership approach aimed at improving urgent and emergency care. Deputy Chief Constable Mark Travis presented the details, covering the six goals of urgent and emergency care, the phased implementation from September 2023 to February 2025, and the importance of stakeholder engagement. He highlighted the need for appropriate agencies to handle welfare calls, freeing up police resources for other duties. Travis offered to discuss the initiative in more detail at a future meeting.

Questions from the panel included concerns about patient continuity across health boards, transport to hospitals, and the mechanism for measuring welfare checks from a multi-agency perspective. Travis agreed to share the presentation and a video with the panel and to speak with partners and stakeholders.

Finance Update

David Holloway-Young, Chief Finance Officer, presented the Financial Monitoring Report for 2023/24, Period 9. The panel raised questions about reserves, the maximisation of ICT usage, and updates on the youth programme in schools. Alun Michael suggested arranging a visit to the headquarters to observe day-to-day operations and requested that panel members submit their questions beforehand.

Police and Crime Plan Update

Alun Michael provided an update on the Police and Crime Plan, focusing on Priority 5 and reflecting on his tenure as Police and Crime Commissioner. His presentation covered the six priorities, the establishment of a centre for police productivity by the College of Policing, the distribution of Police Community Support Officers, and statistics on drug deaths and violent crime. He also discussed the Women's Pathfinder Approach and community safety initiatives.

The panel endorsed the Welsh Mandate related to the IRIS programme and requested an update on Naloxone at a future meeting.

Reflections on Time as Police and Crime Commissioner

Alun Michael reflected on his time as Police and Crime Commissioner, reiterating points from the previous agenda item.

Police and Crime Panel Annual Report

Simon Jones led the panel through the Police and Crime Panel Annual Report, which was approved by the panel.

Retirement of Alun Michael and Mair Morgan

The meeting concluded with tributes to Alun Michael, who is retiring as Police and Crime Commissioner, and Mair Morgan, Democratic Services Officer. The chair and panel members thanked them for their service and dedication.