There are a number of apps available free of charge that provide support and guidance in dealing with anxiety, improving sleep and meditation processes to help people to clear their minds. We've extended the SilverCloud provision, which is an online service, so that all health and social care workers in all parts of Wales can access a variety of programmes provided at any given time, wherever they may be. And these programmes are based on cognitive behavioural therapy, CBT, which can provide people with the skills to manage their own psychological well-being, to be more confident. 

To recognise the extensive strain and trauma that NHS staff have faced, more than £1 million in addition was invested by the Welsh Government in April to extend the healthcare service for health professionals in Wales. This service was available already to those working in medicine and dentistry in Wales, but there is now more provision available because of this additional funding. The service now provides an even better level of support and advice to all health professionals, including doctors, nurses, healthcare students, paramedics, pharmacists, therapists, dentists and medical volunteers working in Wales. By now, the service is also offered to administrative and clerical staff who are also facing great stresses. 

The aim of the service is to provide support for those with acute symptoms—individuals who feel that they can no longer cope, who are anxious or are having difficulty in managing the various challenges posed by the pandemic, individuals who are starting to feel the symptoms of anxiety and depression, individuals who have problems with alcohol, for example, as well as those who are suffering PTSD. We are sure to see an increase in demand for such support when we move out of this pandemic. People will slow down and think back on their experiences, as was explained by the Royal College of Physicians in Wales just last week.

During the symposium for health professionals in December, it was explained how necessary and vital this programme is, and this is particularly true because the burden of responding to COVID-19 is ongoing and will extend into the long term. The Welsh Government will continue to work with Cardiff University, who run the service, to ensure that it is fit for purpose and that it can adapt depending on changes in demand. And I'm pleased to say that we are working well with Cardiff University at the moment to draw up a model that supports the social care workforce as well as those working in health. Information about these resources and how to access them is available on mental health pages of the Health Education and Improvement Wales website.

In the autumn, we circulated a Welsh health circular to NHS organisations, noting how they were expected to support the health and well-being of their staff during the pandemic. The circular is a means of reminding employers, and sends a clear message to our workforce, restating our commitment and the employer's commitment to support their health and well-being.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Social Care Wales have been maintaining a well-being network, which considers the use of the services already available and how it can be advertised more widely.