4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:29 pm on 12 January 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:29, 12 January 2021

I thank the Member for his series of questions. Sorry, there's been a problem with my computer. I'll just get rid of this.

So, in terms of the series of questions that he's asked, I think he asked a couple of questions that were essentially the same question in a different way. The plan that I announced yesterday will help us, and it sets out how we're going to speed up the roll-out of the vaccine, and that is, in particular, in relation to the use of both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but also the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The significant increase in primary care—and I should say that I had a very constructive meeting with the Royal College of General Practitioners earlier today—will allow us to have a significant reach in terms of access and speed. And that will come alongside not just the first two weeks of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that we've got—and you'll have heard the First Minister say that we've had a bit over 20,000 for each of the first two weeks—but we're expecting a much bigger increase in vaccine supply for the third week. Getting primary care up and running and ready is really important for that third week where we'll have much greater supply. I've seen some of the concerns that some primary care deliverers have had that they could do more if they had more supply, but we're actually running, with that Oxford-AstraZeneca supply, with the supplies that we've been given. I do think people in all parts of Wales should take some assurance from the fact that we expect a much more significant supply to come into Wales, which will then be delivered in Wales from next week in particular. 

On not just the points about access, I think it's probably worth dealing with your points about vaccination centres. We expect every local authority will eventually have a mass vaccination centre, but I think that perhaps there's confusion between a symbol and the reality of access. Delivering the vaccine through primary care with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will mean much greater ease of access to people. When you've got several hundred general practices working, whether from their own premises, or others that they'll liaise with in conjunction, especially, with local authorities and health boards, that will practically mean that access will be made much easier. I don't think the public will be much bothered about whether there is a triangle on a map in their local authority or whether they can have easy access to a vaccination venue when it's time for them to receive their vaccine. That will be about people going to those venues, whether in a local health centre, whether a hotel or a converted restaurant, a bowls pavilion, or indeed a mass vaccination centre. I think the public want to know, 'When I will get easy and good access?' That includes our delivery, of course, in care homes. 

On your question about the Welsh immunisation service, yes, it's up and running. No, I can't give you the figures on the number of no-shows today, and I don't have a figure to give you about the over-80s, but when we're publishing our weekly dashboard, we will be providing more information on some of the detail that you've asked for. And in terms of the lack of contact, everyone will start to be getting a letter from today onwards, from health boards and local government partners, to set out the approach locally and to give people some of that reassurance that the health service hasn't forgotten them. 

When it comes to training vaccinators, we've worked with people in Health Education and Improvement Wales and across the service to make sure we make it as easy as possible. I've seen some of the concerns in every nation of the UK, including, of course, in England, where people are concerned the process is too bureaucratic, including for retired staff to return to practice to help with the programme. So, we are looking again at what is possible to do. Now, it's entirely possible that I don't need to make a single decision on that. I've been very clear about the policy directive to make this as quick as possible and as easy as possible for trusted staff, whether volunteers or not, to deliver the vaccines. If there is a need for me to make ministerial choices, then I'm more than prepared to do so to speed up the programme. 

When it comes to phase 2, I was actually referring to phase 2 in terms of the priorities list. I think in your question you were really asking me about the second dose, and that's partly about supply. So, expect to see the second dose starting in earnest once we get through to March, when more and more people will be starting to get their second doses come through, and then into April as well, and that is part of what we'll be doing. You will have noticed we're already reporting on how many people have had their first dose and their second dose in the totals that we provide. So, we'll be transparent about the progress we're making. 

I'm not aware of the individual issue about the Barry care home you refer to, but PPE supply is available, it's in plentiful supply. I think Members right across the political spectrum can be very proud of the way that we have procured and supplied PPE here in Wales throughout this pandemic, at good value for money, for all of us, for all taxpayers, and without a single whiff of corruption in the way that that PPE has been supplied and procured. 

When it comes to the 24/7 suggestion, that is something that health boards are looking at. I'm not setting an objective that everyone must have a 24/7 delivery model; I want the best and the quickest delivery model available. If we set an objective that everyone must deliver 24/7, that may not achieve that. I think some health boards will trial it to see if it really does not just expand access but speed of delivery, and I look forward to learning from that. We won't know until that's essentially been tried, but like I said, my directive to the system is to go as fast as possible, as safely as possible, but to do so in a way where we look after our staff and our volunteers who are delivering the vaccines, and make it as easy as possible for the public to get those vaccines as well. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.