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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:51 pm on 20 May 2020.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:51, 20 May 2020

Llywydd, let me begin by explaining again why we are now able to be part of the UK-wide portal—and we're very glad to be part of that UK-wide portal. We're able to do it because a problem with the portal has now been put right. Because the portal as it was originally constructed meant that tests carried out on Welsh residents could not be reported into the Welsh NHS or to those patients' records. And, in that sense, the tests that were being carried out were of limited value, because we didn't know the results of them. That has been put right; we're now confident that tests carried out through that UK-wide portal will be reported back into the patients' records and into the Welsh NHS, and I'm very glad that we've been able to be part of that.

Our testing in care homes policy follows the advice we are provided with by SAGE. On Thursday of last week, SAGE changed its advice. On Friday, the UK Government changed its policy. On Saturday, we announced that we would be changing our policy in line with that advice, and, on Monday, the Northern Ireland Executive announced that it was changing its policy, again in line with the advice. When the advice changes, the policy changes here in Wales, and I know Paul Davies will be glad that, on 15 May, our own technical advisory group published a paper, 'Testing for COVID-19 in care homes', which the health Minister has made available to all Members, setting out the evidence that underpinned that change in advice.

We continue to make all the arrangements for the TTP arrangements to be put in place. We are working with others, including with the UK Government. Vaughan Gething took part last night in a meeting with Matt Hancock and with the health Ministers of Northern Ireland and of Scotland to share information on how, across the United Kingdom, those new surveillance arrangements can be put in place, and we continue to work on all the different elements that that new approach will need and to do it in close collaboration with others.