4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Coronavirus (COVID-2019) update

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:45 pm on 3 March 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:45, 3 March 2020

I thank the Member for those questions. I'll just start with a point about business. So, this is about some of the soft powers that, as I said, Government has, and we're already looking to reach out, as I talk to different organisations about that. But there is, you're right, sometimes a difference between some businesses, and in particular larger—it's not just larger—businesses, which may be more able to cope with different absence or indeed may have the potential for remote working; other businesses, people have to be present to undertake work. And there's something there about business support advice, but, equally, when the Government is directly supporting business, about the way in which we behave, and not just looking to private-sector lenders to try to have a conversation about their own behaviour, and dealing with businesses who may be affected if the coronavirus becomes a more significant challenge for us.

The 111 service is deliberately there to provide a consistent point of contact for people. It's easy to remember and to repeat. But to go back to your final point—the way that individual Members can be part of this too, and repeating and referring to trusted sources of information, advice and guidance, and I'd certainly ask Members to do so, to do that in repeating trusted sources of information and to be really careful that we don't get drawn into promoting some of the more conspiratorial elements of commentary that always, sadly, exist in different parts of public life and on social media. There's a real responsibility on all of us to be responsible moving forward.

In terms of the engagement with other organisations, and the resilience fora—as I say, I'm running through an exercise already and I'll be happy to provide more information over the weeks about the nature of that preparedness for where we are. But our arrangements have already been tested in the last few weeks and so relationships are good and constructive here in Wales.

On your broader point about engagement with a range of different people, I'm happy to say I spoke to Councillor Huw David—not just the leader of Bridgend, but the social care and health spokesperson for the WLGA—yesterday. I've spoken to the two main opposition parties' health spokespeople to make sure that there's information passed between the Government and then across the Chamber here as well. We're seeing cabinet members across social care within the next few days. I'm meeting members of royal colleges across Wales tomorrow. I'm also seeing the trade union side and employers within the health service this week as well when I'm in north Wales. And I'm also taking up the opportunity to meet medical directors from every NHS organisation here in Wales within this week, and I'm meeting them together with the chief medical officer. So, we are making sure not just that remote guidance is provided, but that actually there is a direct face-to-face conversation with a range of those people who will be influential in actually not just dealing with opinion, but also helping us to prepare for what may be required in the weeks and months ahead.