No surgical gowns in Welsh Government's PPE pandemic stockpile
It has emerged that the Welsh Government's pandemic stockpile did not contain any surgical gowns prior to the outbreak of coronavirus in Wales.
Health Minister Vaughan Gething had previously said gowns were included in the pandemic stockpile, however the First Minister confirmed in a letter to Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price that it was not the case.
The stockpile included eye protectors - 1.488m frames and 1.658m lenses, 5.7m face masks and 4.8m gloves.
But the letter confirms “gowns were not included in the pandemic stockpile”.
When asked about the admission in Wednesday's First Minister's Statement, Mark Drakeford said "we have managed to deal with the pandemic in Wales without ever having to tell the NHS in Wales that there wasn't a supply of the gowns that were needed."