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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:12 pm on 29 April 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:12, 29 April 2020

On the final point made there, about the provision of oxygen treatment earlier in a patient pathway, it's a matter we've discussed. It's a matter where we've had clinical correspondence—not just letters from Mr ap Iorwerth—and it's a matter that our clinicians are actively considering. So, I'll discuss the matter again with our chief medical officer, about whether there is a need to undertake a review, but it should be that there's a need and a point and purpose to doing so. It's that learning and understanding of how we treat people effectively that matters to me, and I expect that that's exactly why Rhun ap Iorwerth is asking his questions.

On the point about ventilators, I issued a written statement today, providing some factual clarity about where we are. Just to reiterate, there are no missing ventilators. Ventilators have not been purloined from NHS Wales to be made available in other parts of the UK. We are receiving those over the course of the procurement exercise, but, if you'll recall, when we originally procured additional ventilators for use in NHS Wales, we were expecting a peak to take place in June, as opposed to the position that we are in now. We still expect to have use of those ventilators that we originally contracted for. We are, though, now in the very positive position that we haven't needed that ventilator capacity, and part of the policy objectives we're trying to pursue are how we not just look at an exit through lockdown, but continue to behave in such a way where we don't need to make the use of all of that capacity at the same time. That's because we as a country have been successful in social distancing measures and that's made a really big difference to the spread of the virus and the level of really sick people that we've seen come into our critical care capacity. So, I hope that's helpful in providing some reassurance that there are no missing ventilators as far as Wales is concerned.