The Welsh NHS continues to play a key role in our national response to the pandemic. The actions of staff and volunteers have assisted millions of people. 2,460,549 have received at least one dose, 2,254,184 at least two and over half a million have received the booster.
Locally, Covid vaccinations are being delivered through vaccination centres in Argyll Road, Llandudno; Glasdir, Llanrwst; and Coed Pella in Colwyn Bay. The JCVI has recommended that the following individuals should be offered a booster vaccine, if a minimum of six months have passed since their second dose:
- those living in residential care homes for older adults;
- all adults aged 50 years or over;
- frontline health and social care workers;
- all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe Covid-19 (as set out in the Green Book), and adult carers; and
- adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
During the last few weeks I have received a number of enquiries about making appointments for boosters. I can assure you that it is my understanding that the health board has started to send invitation letters and text message reminders to those eligible.
Importantly, if you are eligible, please note that you will not be able to attend a walk in clinic without an appointment, and there is no need for you to contact the health board to book an appointment. The health board has made clear that we will be invited by letter when it is our turn.
Another health matter I have been working on recently is the fact that doctors working at emergency departments at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Glan Clwyd, and Wrexham Maelor have warned that:
- medical and nursing leadership has failed to address patterns of behaviour that cripple efficiency;
- the overcrowding problem has been compounded by Coronavirus, but that it predates the pandemic and follows the health board being taken out of special measures last year;
- departments have become routinely crowded to the point where delivering even the most fundamental aspects of emergency medicine such as rapid ambulance offload, triage, early assessment and investigations, and time critical interventions in sepsis, stroke, cardiac care, major trauma and resuscitation are compromised.
In light of such allegations, I raised the situation with the First Minister in the Welsh Parliament and called for him to establish an inquiry into management so to determine whether taking Betsi Cadwaladr out of special measures, just before an election, was the right decision.
This was only strengthened this week with the publication of the 2013 Robin Holden Report into care provision at the Hergest Unit. With expansive notes on the understaffing of wards to the point that basic physical care and attention to personal hygiene was neglected, as well as concerns over bullying and fractured management structures; the handling of this report only further supports the justification for an inquiry into the management of the Health Board to ensure we safeguard staff and patients.
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