Wales moves to protect medics on coronavirus front lines

Vaughan Gething, the Welsh health minister, says the Welsh government has decided to effect a range of measures in a bid to protect front line medical services. 

Accompanying first minister Mark Drakeford at the Cardiff press conference, the health minister said Wales could see 20,000 deaths as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, adding “usually there are 8,000 to 10,000 deaths in Wales” due to the flu.

Gething went on to declare that, as of next week, emergency staff will be told to prioritize coronavirus prep and not to staff large events — a move in line with Scotland.

Mr. Gething added, “As we move in our preparations from the ‘contain’ to the ‘delay’ phase of COVID-19, it is vital that our health and social care system in Wales is prepared.”

“I have taken a number decisions today to ensure early and decisive action to continue to provide care and support to the most vulnerable people in our communities, whilst also making sure organizations and professionals are supported to make timely preparations for the expected increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19.”

The framework actions agreed upon by the Welsh government, within which local health and social care providers can make decisions, are:

• Suspend non-urgent outpatient appointments and ensure urgent appoints are prioritized
• Suspend non-urgent surgical admissions and procedures (whilst ensuring access for emergency and urgent surgery)
• Prioritize use of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service to focus on hospital discharge and ambulance emergency response
• Expedite discharge of vulnerable patients from acute and community hospitals
• Relax targets and monitoring arrangements across the health and care system
  Minimize regulation requirements for health and care settings
• Fast track placements to care homes by suspending the current protocol which give to right to a choice of home
  Permission to cancel internal and professional events, including study leave, to free up staff for preparations.
• Relaxation of contract and monitoring arrangements for GPs and primary care practitioners.
• Suspend NHS emergency service and health volunteer support to mass gatherings and events

“These actions will allow for services and beds to be reallocated and for staff to be redeployed and retrained in priority areas,” Mr. Gething said

“Health boards and health care providers will begin to contact anyone affected by these decisions over the coming days as these actions are phased in.

Access to cancer and other essential treatments such as renal dialysis for example will of course be maintained.

Our NHS 111 online and telephone service is available and has been protecting our vital primary care and emergency department services from undue demand.

The underlying principle being to keep people safe and patients out of clinical settings if there is no urgent need to attend.

“Our NHS and Social Care system is working hard to care for those people who have been confirmed with coronavirus whilst also continuing to deal with the health and social care needs of the Welsh population.

Our Staff at the front line are doing a fantastic job in extremely difficult circumstances as we emerge from a busy winter period. I thank them for their hard work and perseverance. The welfare and well-being of all in Wales in the face of this pandemic challenge is my number one priority at this testing time.”

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