3. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: National Immunisation Framework for Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:16 pm on 25 October 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 3:16, 25 October 2022

(Translated)

Thank you very much. In terms of the booster, I'm pleased to say that, on the seventeenth of this month, 471,488 people had received the booster. We have a target of 75 per cent. I'm pleased to say that, if you're in a care home, we're up to 74 per cent already. So, that is well on the way to our target. We are somewhat concerned about staff working in care homes and staff working in the health boards, so I know that the chief executive of the NHS has written to the health boards to ask them to make a little bit more effort with the staff. I know that they're tired and that they're making a big effort, and maybe it's work pressure that's stopped them from doing that, but it is important for them to protect themselves as we go into what we know will be a very hard winter. You're right about the risk group: so, we are looking at about 7 per cent of people between five and 49, but the focus hasn't been placed on that yet; we're doing it in order of priority, and that's why we've ensured that we are focusing first on care homes.

In terms of the national procurement system, evidently this is not going to happen tomorrow, but even what's happened this year, where we've seen GPs, for example, procuring the flu vaccine—they haven't ordered enough and we've had to step in as the Government. So, we're already intervening, and that means that additional funding is being provided. But, if you're going to a procurement system on a national level, you're more likely to get a better deal, so I do hope that that will make a difference.