5. Will the Minister make a statement regarding the deployment of health visitors in Wales? OQ56331

Yes. The Welsh Government provided guidance on the delivery of the Healthy Child Wales programme by health visitors during the pandemic, to ensure that children are safe and seen and that families are supported as far as possible. We are aware that health visitors may have redeployed to other acute areas, if workforce numbers allowed, at the height of the pandemic. My understanding is that this is not currently the case.

Thank you for that response. I have raised this question on a few occasions because I conducted a survey of new mothers during the pandemic, where they raised numerous concerns about their access to health visitors during this important time. But I understand, yesterday, after having met with the Minister for mental health—and thank you again for that meeting—as you said, Minister, that some actually were deployed during the first stages of the pandemic but now have returned to their role. We were also told, though, that due to some of the profiles of those members of staff, many have been shielding or many have been off on sick leave. So, I am curious to understand how you are going to protect the service for the future and give them the relevant level of support that this vital service needs. It's a lifeline to many new parents—mothers who are seeking that initial advice and that support at the beginning of a baby's life.

I think there are several points to make there. The first is that, in terms of the longer term future, that is partly about our investment in the future of the workforce, and the Member will know that we have sought to significantly increase the number of health visitors in training and then to maintain them in the service as well. This will be a challenge for the whole service, looking forward, because we do anticipate that some members of staff may want to change NHS careers. We'll need to keep people in the service. That's why, again, Jayne Bryant's first questions about well-being and support services for paramedics are just as relevant for health visitors and everyone else right across health and social care.

The second point that I think is important to make is that it's not just from a Government policy point of view about recognising the importance of health visitors—so, our investment in the future Flying Start relies on having high-quality health visitors in good numbers, who are motivated and I've been very proud of the work they're doing—but also from a personal point of view. I remember very well the impact that the health visitor had when we had our child as well; it does make a real difference. So, having those people redeployed back to their roles all across the country is hugely important, and then to think again about how we take care of our current workforce, because the future of the NHS is already here in large number—the workers in 10 years are almost all already with us in terms of overall numbers—but also making sure that we continue to train and have a new generation of health visitors coming in in the right numbers, and in a way where their roles will change in the support they are well placed to provide because of the trusted relationship that most health visitors build up with the women and the families that they work with. So, there are challenges ahead, but I think that not just this Government but any future Government will remain committed to the future of our health visiting service in the right numbers, with the right skills.