Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:07 pm on 8 February 2022.
Thank you for the statement, Minister. Without doubt, many patients who are suffering these terrible symptoms can access support from their GPs, and, of course, the role of GPs is crucial in all of this, but we do know that some can't be referred; they return to their GPs time and time again and aren't getting the specialist support that they need.
You mentioned learning, and it has been a learning experience for the medical profession, but it is clear that the expertise isn't there and the support isn't there for some of these patients who do approach their GPs. So, what reviews will there be for those who have tried to access specialist support time and time again? And what about those, as we heard in the case of Sian Griffiths from Anglesey, who's been in the headlines today and has been forced to pay to go private? She, like many other NHS staff, has had to go private. Shouldn't they, quite simply, be reimbursed that cost? And what about those staff who work for the health service who face losing their salary now because they still can't work? They deserve for financial support to continue, and I hope you'd agree with me on that. But, as a central point, in light of your statement today, aren't we still short of the kind of specialist teams that could provide accurate diagnosis, could provide appropriate treatment, and also provide that support earlier than is the case at the moment for those patients suffering long COVID? Thank you.