Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:51 pm on 30 September 2020.
On the second point, I have already indicated that I am looking to see how we can regularise the provision of that information so that it's not just ad hoc. And we're looking at what Public Health Wales already publish to give people the understanding of what is taking place on a local level. And it's not just the Rhondda area; it's actually the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taf where I think they're producing maps showing the rates that exist, together with Merthyr. I think it would be useful to provide that information on a regular and predictable basis. So, I am already looking at how we do that and to see what is already provided by Public Health Wales.
On your first point, unfortunately this has been a data glitch with lighthouse labs. The data haven't come in to NHS Wales Informatics Service to provide to Public Health Wales, and so Public Health Wales have alerted us to the fact they're awaiting those some 2,000 lighthouse lab test results. It's a matter that has been taken up through our normal management and information arrangements with colleagues in the UK testing programme. As soon as those figures are available, we'll need to make sure we understand where they are and how far back those test results go as well, because we have had some improvement in the turnaround delays in lighthouse lab test results, and so I'll want to understand how that tracks back and changes our understanding of the shifting picture of positive coronavirus cases across Wales. So, it's certainly not ideal, but, as I say, I expect us to resolve that with the people responsible for the lighthouse lab testing programme.