A new £800m stabilisation package to help the Welsh NHS to continue to respond to and recover from the impact of the coronavirus crisis has been announced today. This latest package takes the total amount of Welsh Government Covid-19 support for NHS organisations to more than £1.3bn.
A new £800m stabilisation package to help the Welsh NHS continue to respond and recover from the impact of the coronavirus crisis has been announced today.
This latest package takes the total amount of Welsh Government Covid-19 support for NHS organisations to more than £1.3bn.
The new £800m fund will:
- Help the NHS across Wales to prepare for the anticipated challenges that winter will bring including a potential second wave of the virus, normal winter pressures – and continue to increase access to essential services.
- Enable a strategic approach to the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for both the health and social care sectors – including GPs, dentists and optometrists – establishing a ‘buffer’ of supplies to respond to any second wave of infections.
- Help deliver Wales’ largest ever flu campaign, announced last month, which will ensure more people than ever will benefit from the free flu vaccine programme in preparation for winter.
- Ensure faster turnaround of test results to support contact tracing, so that Wales can respond rapidly to contain any spread of the virus.
- Provide health boards with sufficient capacity, both through existing hospital sites and access to field hospitals as a contingency, if needed.
Welsh Labour’s Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans, said:
“We understand the growing financial pressures and challenges being faced across the public sector and we are doing all we can to alleviate these.
I am confident that today’s announcement will provide our NHS with the stability it needs to respond to the pandemic.
We are also continuing to work with local authorities to understand the considerable pressures they are facing and their priorities so that we can provide them with further support.”
Welsh Labour’s Health and Social Services Minister, Vaughan Gething, said:
“Our health and social care services have faced unparalleled pressures in the fight against Covid-19. It is a testament to our dedicated NHS staff that Wales’ patients have continued to receive compassionate and professional care during this pandemic.
Whilst our services rigorously prepare every year for winter pressures, 2020 may be unlike any other. This £800m package will help with many aspects as we move into the next phase of the virus such as PPE supplies, testing and an ambitious flu vaccination programme.”