Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:29 pm on 7 July 2021.
Diolch. And I thank Rhys ab Owen for that very heartfelt question. To start with his opening comments about not waiting for the UK Government, we would prefer a solution for England and Wales, but I absolutely agree we can't wait forever. We'd like a joint solution because of the interface with the benefits system and the taxation system. So, that's why we'd like that. But we have been waiting a long time, and I absolutely acknowledge that.
In terms of the care home visits, those have been some of the most difficult decisions that have been made, and it is a really difficult situation. I absolutely understand how hard it must have been in terms of visiting his father, who I knew well, and worked with when he was a Member here. What we have tried to do is we have tried to balance the safety of the residents with their need to see their family, and of course with the family's need to see the residents. Throughout the whole of the pandemic, at every stage, our guidance has not had a blanket refusal for any visits—there has always been the scope for visits when the situation is very difficult or desperate. So, there always has been that option.
At the moment, the guidance is clear that two visitors can go in to visit a care home resident. There is no approved list of people who can go in now; it has opened up more than that. But obviously, individual care homes are interpreting the guidance as they think is safest for their residents. I think the important thing really is to look at how this is being interpreted in individual care homes. But certainly, we do want families to be able to see their loved ones, and we want loved ones to see their families, because obviously, that is the essence of family life. I know how awful it has been for so many residents and their families.