Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 15 June 2021.
Thank you, First Minister. As you are no doubt aware, the UK Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee, in their damning report, stated that NHS staff and care staff are so burnt out that the future of health and social care services are at risk. Whist their report relates solely to England, I dare say things are not much better on this side of Offa's Dyke. Even before the pandemic hit these shores, our health and care staff were exhausted and overstretched; COVID-19 has only made the situation worse. Having worked in the sector for over a decade, I can tell you first hand that many staff struggle to cope with the burden placed upon them due to staff shortages. Whistleblowers at the weekend spoke of the pressures managers place on staff to work longer hours. Unless urgent action is taken, more and more staff will be forced to leave. First Minister, what will your Government do to ensure that we have sufficient staff working in healthcare in order to reduce the burden on existing staff and ensure patient safety?