Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:44 pm on 15 June 2021.
Thank you very much. Could I thank you and Hefin David for establishing the long COVID cross-party group? I was very pleased to be able to be there for at least a few minutes today, as you said. I am aware that we do need to listen, and I have been trying to make an effort in recent weeks to speak directly to people who have suffered from this. Long COVID is complex. It's not just one thing, and that's part of the problem; it's very difficult to wrap your arms around it. And that's why, I think, that the way into the system is through the GPs at a local level.
I agree with you that it's vital, particularly with a new condition, that we learn from each other and learn from good practice. I've received a list of what's being done across the different health boards, and it is interesting to see that people are dealing with this in different ways. But as we learn, I think it is worth us ensuring that that good practice is shared, and I do hope that it will create a model that we can follow for other complex conditions and illnesses. There are other illnesses where you need to see more than one specialist, so I do hope that we can think about changing the system. I do hope that we won't miss this opportunity to make changes during a period of great change.
In terms of those who are suffering from this within the health service, you'll see that within the Adferiad programme that there is a specific piece of work that recognises that and shows that we do understand that there are problems within the NHS, that we are very aware of this and that there are standards that need to be adhered to. I think there is more work to be done when it comes to other employers, and I'm looking forward to working with the unions, perhaps, to ensure that we do raise awareness among employers across Wales as well.