2. Statement by the First Minister: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:54 pm on 29 April 2020.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 1:54, 29 April 2020

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, can I thank you for your statement this afternoon? Now, at the heart of Government, there needs to be a commitment to openness and transparency, and in that vein I'd like to ask you specifically about the under-reporting of deaths at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which took over a month to be made public, and the subsequent under-reporting of deaths at Hywel Dda University Health Board.

First Minister, it's a source of national embarrassment that the Welsh Government cannot even publish accurate information over the number of COVID-19 deaths, and, whilst I accept that you've published a review of the situation, there are still questions that need answering. The people of Wales must have confidence that any information published by the Welsh Government and by Public Health Wales is accurate and up to date. Therefore, given that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is directly under the control of the Welsh Government, why was a different system to the rest of the Welsh NHS used at all, and why did it take so long before the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales actually realised that there was something wrong?

Your review states that you've had assurances from most health boards that they consider their processes have been and will continue to be robust, but I'm sure you'll appreciate the processes at all health boards must be robust, and so what is the Welsh Government doing to ensure this activity is taking place? And, given that two health boards now have not produced accurate information correctly, what mechanism will the Welsh Government now implement to ensure that local quality assurance actually takes place going forward?