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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:14 pm on 22 April 2020.

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Photo of Caroline Jones Caroline Jones UKIP 3:14, 22 April 2020

Thank you for your statement, Minister, and for your department's continuing efforts to help combat this disease—a disease that has killed nearly 200,000 people worldwide. Every one of those is someone's loved one, and my heart goes out to all those who have suffered loss at the hands of this invisible killer. Without the efforts of our NHS and social care heroes and volunteers, many, many more of us would be suffering from that loss.

Minister, in addition to our full-time social care staff, carers—both paid and unpaid—have a vital role to play during this crisis. Unfortunately, this vital role is not always recognised. One constituent who's been in touch with me has informed me that they're often forced to walk six miles home after caring for someone because public transport is reserved for key workers. Despite showing documents saying that she is a carer and a key worker, she has not been allowed very often on this transport.

Minister, do you accept that carers are key workers and will you work with the Minister for transport to ensure that our carers are rightly recognised as vital key workers, because without their efforts our health and care system would be overwhelmed?

Minister, the UK Government has also launched the CARE badge to enable the efforts of those working in social care to be recognised and rewarded. So, does the Welsh Government have similar plans?

I'm pleased to see that our care homes are getting supplies of PPE, although shortages still exist throughout the system. I accept that this is a world-wide issue. However, more needs to be done to ramp up domestic production and make it easier to ship in supplies. I have been contacted by freight companies concerned about the level of bureaucracy involved in shipping in PPE equipment. While I accept that checks have to be in place to ensure the efficacy of PPE, surely we can do more to streamline the processes during these times of crisis.

Minister, we also have to ensure that it is as simple as possible for companies and organisations to manufacture PPE. I have had contact with a wedding dress manufacturer locally who wishes to make gowns and masks for the NHS. So, Minister, what steps are you taking to make it easier for such companies to get involved, and will you consider what steps you can take to streamline the process, such as providing templates, et cetera, particularly for the face masks?

There is strong evidence to suggest that, when the lockdown is eventually lifted, the public on occasions, such as using public transport, will still be wearing face masks to help limit the spread of coronavirus. But we can't do that unless there are sufficient supplies of face masks to go around. So, Minister, do you have plans in place to increase these supplies?

And, finally, Minister, we have to plan, obviously, for the eventual relaxing of current lockdown measures, and I am grateful that the Welsh Government is recruiting people to help with contact tracing and have adopted the Symptom Tracker app. However, not everyone has a smartphone, so what plans do you have to improve symptom tracking for those without access to a smartphone?

Thank you, once again, Minister, for your continued efforts.