4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Services supporting people to recover from COVID-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:51 pm on 15 June 2021.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 4:51, 15 June 2021

I'd like to thank the Minister, as Rhun did, as co-chair of the cross-party group on long COVID, for your attendance today. I think it demonstrated your seriousness to tackle this issue. I think equally so has been the decision you've taken to make it one of your priorities as one of the first things you do as health Minister. So, it's very pleasing to see that. Some of the issues that were raised by long COVID sufferers in the cross-party group today were particularly the fact that they find it difficult to get past the GP, because of the multitude of symptoms that present, and also the fact that children, they are concerned, are also being affected by this and not being identified. With that in mind, I think a key question for you will be: how will you consider the patient voice in everything that you do, and how will the patient voice scrutinise the decisions you take? Just as an early example of that, one of the things that Long Covid Wales are saying is that they want dedicated long COVID clinics. How do you explain to them that that is the path you've not chosen? How will you explain that to them? And then how will you return to that discussion later down the line when we see, hopefully, the fruits of the actions that you're taking today?