Yesterday, Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy Môn, spoke in the Welsh Conservatives’ debate calling for a judge-led statutory inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in Wales and the lessons that must be learnt.
Janet commented:
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, I repeatedly expressed my deep concerns about the potential spread of infection in our care homes and the need to properly protect residents, staff and the care home environment.
“In June 2020, I called for an urgent inquiry into whether hospital discharges had contributed to increased infection rates and put vulnerable residents at risk. Care professionals had raised serious concerns with me about the unacceptable pressure they were under to accept patients from hospitals who had not been tested.
“On 8 July 2020, I again questioned the Health Minister in the Senedd, asking whether the Welsh Government would compare hospital discharge records with Covid-19 cases in care homes.
“Families of those who died with Covid-19 in care homes deserve to know whether hospital discharges played a role in the spread of infection. We must learn from every failure in the handling of the pandemic. We need to be better prepared for any future incidents and, above all, provide bereaved families with the answers and closure they deserve.
“Before the election, Plaid Cymru were very keen for a Welsh inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic to take place, with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru noting that they were working with the Cabinet Secretary for Health on an inquiry.
“Yet they have now performed a U-turn and are settling for a review.
“Wales must have its own judge-led statutory inquiry. Bereaved families deserve nothing less.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
