Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:38 pm on 20 October 2020.
Llywydd, I do agree with what Russell George has said about the way in which primary care—GPs, but other contractors as well—have worked so hard during this pandemic. And they've been assisted by the Welsh Government in that, despite the fact that, in the first six months of the pandemic, GP practices were unable to provide the enhanced services for which they are paid through the contract, but Welsh Government paid them as though those enhanced services were being provided. And that was in order to provide financial stability for those practices during that difficult time. And I really do want to pay tribute to the way in which our GP practices have embraced the new technological possibilities that have come with the pandemic: the Attend Anywhere system, the video consultation service—over 10,000 video consultations now carried out in GP practices across Wales, and that is being supported by funding to practices to make sure that they are able to sustain that level of provision.
As to flu vaccination, Llywydd, I think it's great that people want to come forward for vaccination. But, vaccine is released from the UK pandemic stock in tranches, and we have concentrated, in the early stages, on those who are over 65 and vulnerable in other ways. We've enhanced the payment we give to GPs—they're getting an extra £1.75 for ever flu vaccine that they carry out. I think that now means they're paid more than £12 for every vaccination, and the Welsh Government pays for the cost of the vaccination itself as well, and we'll continue to do that. Further guidance to GPs on how to access the additional stocks coming to the UK was issued on 14 October, and I hope that that will have been of help to those who have been in touch with the Member.