8. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 11:48 am on 24 March 2020.

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Photo of Helen Mary Jones Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru 11:48, 24 March 2020

I'd like to thank the Minister very much for his statement and to say how pleased I'm sure we all are to see him back at the front line. I know he was working very hard when he was self-isolating, but it's very good to see him here. It must have been a very worrying time for him and his family and I'm very glad to see him here with us today.

I'd like to associate myself with the remarks that other people have made, both about those, as the Minister said, who have already lost those that they love to this virus, and to the wonderful work that our health and care staff—and I think we must make sure we remember to mention them, too, because apart from anything else, they're doing a very important role in preventing people from becoming so ill that they need to go into hospital. So, I'd like to associate myself very much with remarks other Members have made about the excellent work that our health and care staff are doing.

I want to touch on a couple of issues that the Minister's already mentioned, and perhaps drive down into those a little bit more, and then there are a couple of additional issues that I'd like to raise if the Deputy Presiding Officer will allow.

First of all, just to clarify a little bit further on the ventilators. I'm grateful to the Minister for his answers to Suzy Davies. So, we have 600 ventilators. Are those with us now or are they on order? Does the Minister expect them to be sufficient? I know it's difficult to tell because we don't yet know what the pattern of the disease is going to be. When can we expect to be in a position where he can be confident that we have enough of these to meet the needs that are likely to arise?

If I can refer back again to critical care beds, and, again, he mentioned this in his statement, he mentions that we need to double the number of critical care beds. Could he give us—? I know, Deputy Presiding Officer, these things are a moving feast in a time of crisis, but it would help people, I think, if we can have an idea of when we would expect to have those critical care beds in place.