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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:48 pm on 29 April 2020.

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Photo of Delyth Jewell Delyth Jewell Plaid Cymru 3:48, 29 April 2020

Minister, ONS data suggests that COVID-19 deaths in care homes are substantially higher than is being recorded, and I've looked at the Aneurin Bevan data and it shows that there's an increase in deaths of non-COVID deaths in care homes this year. Now, that isn't what we'd expect moving from the winter into spring. Surely, the only explanation that's reasonable for that is that COVID-19 deaths are not being recorded as that on death certificates. 

Now, additionally to this, I've spoken to a number of care home managers who have told me that a lack of testing is leading to avoidable outbreaks in care homes, and this at a time when tests will be made available to residents and staff at care homes in England but not in Wales. Looking at all of this, Minister, are you ashamed that you said this morning that providing tests to residents and staff of care homes would not be the best use of resources?