NHS staff in Wales may have put their health at risk during the Covid-19 pandemic by treating patients without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), former health minister Vaughan Gething has admitted.

Giving evidence to the Covid inquiry, Gething acknowledged significant challenges in distributing PPE despite assurances that national-level supplies were maintained. He revealed that stocks of key items ran out far quicker than anticipated, with some equipment deemed unfit for purpose and discarded.

“There were some very real challenges,” Gething said, noting that gloves, expected to last 15 weeks, were depleted within 11 days. Aprons and other essentials soon became critical concerns. He also condemned opportunistic profiteering during the crisis, calling some suppliers “shysters” who exploited global demand to sell inadequate equipment.

The Welsh Conservatives described the revelations as “completely unacceptable” for NHS staff, while Plaid Cymru accused the Labour-led Welsh Government of “significantly letting down” frontline workers.

The inquiry also heard of chaotic conditions in some hospitals. An email from a consultant at Prince Charles Hospital in March 2020 described a dire situation, with staff lacking protection, low morale, and masks unavailable.

In some instances, healthcare workers resorted to makeshift solutions, including wearing bin bags or purchasing their own safety gear. Trade unions highlighted that schools even stepped in to produce masks and hand sanitiser for local health services.

When asked whether healthcare workers treated Covid-19 patients with inadequate PPE during the first wave, Gething replied, “I’m afraid that’s possible.”

Decisions under pressure

The session also addressed difficult decisions made during the pandemic. Evidence was presented that some patients with little chance of survival were not admitted to critical care due to limited space.

“It’s very upsetting to read,” Gething said, acknowledging the heartbreaking choices faced by medical teams, though he claimed to be unaware of specific instances.

Gething, who served as health minister until May 2021, conceded that delays in tackling hospital-acquired infections could have contributed to the challenges. He admitted he might have acted earlier in forming a task group to address the issue, which worsened during the second wave.

First Minister reflects on birthing partner rules

Current First Minister Eluned Morgan also testified, reflecting on delayed decisions to allow birthing partners in hospitals during the pandemic.

Morgan, who succeeded Gething as health minister in May 2021, acknowledged that guidance was not updated until May 2022, more than a year after England implemented similar changes.

“If I had my time again, that’s one of the things I definitely would have changed,” Morgan said, calling the delay regrettable for new parents.

She also defended the decision not to launch a national investigation into hospital-acquired infections, citing extensive reviews conducted by health boards. However, Morgan acknowledged shortcomings in resuming routine surgery and criticised poor management at some facilities.

The inquiry continues to examine decisions made by Welsh ministers and NHS leaders during the pandemic, focusing on lessons learned to prevent similar issues in future crises.

SINCE Miles’ last tour finished at The London Palladium in 2017, he’s been in The Full Monty on Disney Plus, The Durrells and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITV, as well as a heap of episodes of Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Have I Got News For You. He’s made an award-winning radio series and he’s published a novel. But for Covid, he would have played a lead at the RSC. Hey ho. Nevertheless, he’s done a play in the West End and played the Emperor of Austria and Europe in a Ridley Scott film and now he heads here to the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven!

Yet one sunny day in the middle of all this, he suddenly suffered a brain seizure. This led to the discovery of a tumour the size of a cherry tomato, and a rather pressing need to undergo major neurosurgery. Obviously, one doesn’t wish to make a big deal of it, but the experience has left him with a story to tell and a few things that he’d like to share with the room. So that’s exactly what he’s doing in his new show On I Bang – a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified medical practitioners. 

Having received rave reviews by The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, On I Bang with Miles Jupp is one not to be missed here at the Torch, and tickets are selling like hot cakes. Awarded four stars and described as “Elegantly funny, terrible English account of a tumour” by The Guardian and awarded five stars by The Arts Desk 2024, this a performance that will be talked about for months to come.

Join Miles Jupp: On I Bang when he visits the Torch Theatre on Friday 10 January at 8pm.Ticket price: £25. For tickets phone the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.

THOUSANDS of people affected by the transition to greener steelmaking at Tata Steel Port Talbot are set to benefit from support set up by the UK Government, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has told a Senedd committee.

Appearing before the Senedd Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee as part of its report on the Future of Welsh Steel today (Wednesday 20 November) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens explained that since taking up her post in July, the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board she chairs had already released £26.5 million to support businesses and workers in Port Talbot and across steel communities.

The Welsh Secretary told the committee that the £80m Transition Board was not fully funded when she came into office. However, she fought for an initial £13.5m in August to support supply chain businesses and workers.

The full £80m was confirmed by the Chancellor in October’s Autumn Budget. Following this, the Welsh Secretary announced last week (16 November) a further £13m to fund grant schemes to help people start new businesses and grow or protect previous businesses.

Dozens of firms in the supply chain are already moving forward with applications and money will be granted in the coming few weeks. The Welsh Secretary added that she expected support in the coming months and years from the Transition Board eventually to help thousands of steelworkers, family members and businesses in the supply chain.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Senedd: “Our focus is to make sure that we are protecting Port Talbot as a site of steelmaking in the future and that we will be helping thousands of people through this transition – not just direct employees but people in the supply chain and people in the wider community.

“We as a government see a bright future ahead for steel in the UK. We have a long-term vision that will deliver for the UK and I am determined that Port Talbot will be at the forefront of our steel industry in the future.”

The Welsh Secretary also reiterated to the committee that within weeks of taking office in July the UK Government delivered a better deal that secures the future of Port Talbot Steelworks, laid the groundwork for future investment and improved terms for the workforce without additional costs to the taxpayer. 

She added that on arrival in office it was found that the £80m commitment to the Tata Port Talbot Transition Board was unfunded. It was later fully funded at October’s Budget.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the committee: “The fund of £80m was initially announced last October. Between October 2023 and the General Election in July 2024 not a single penny of that £80m went out of the door to help steelworkers, the supply chain or the wider community.

“After we took office, I was horrified to discover that the £80m was an unfunded spending commitment.

“I have worked very hard to make sure that the £80m has now been confirmed through the Budget.”

Wednesday’s evidence session was the first time that the Welsh Secretary has appeared before a Senedd committee following her appointment in July.

Further funds from the Transition Board will be released over the coming months to provide a wide range of support for steelworkers and the wider community.

The committee was also told that the UK Government is committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks and will harness public and private investment to ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking.  

The UK Government is also developing a steel strategy that will set out a long-term vision for the steel sector in the UK.

The Welsh Secretary added: “We will have a steel strategy published in the spring to set out that vision for how Welsh steel and UK steel will play such an important part in the future.”