Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:55 pm on 11 January 2022.
I'd like to ask for a statement, if I could, from the Minister for health on the impact of COVID on the NHS workforce, specifically how people who have been infected by COVID and have continuing issues with their health, rendering them unable to work, will be cared for by the national health service. I'm thinking particularly of a constituent of mine, Steve Bell, who was working in the ambulance service, contracted COVID as part of this work and has now been unable to work since then. These are really serious matters. And I think, in supporting the national health service, the Government's taken some really tough and difficult decisions to protect the national health service, but we also need to take care of the individuals and the people within the national health service, especially those who have contracted COVID as part of their work over the last few years. I think we do have a continuing duty of care to these people—a continuing duty of care both during their illness and then afterwards, as well, if they remain affected by COVID. So, I hope we could have a statement from the health Minister on these matters and a debate on how we can continue to take care of those people who have taken care of us.