Welsh Government criticised over pandemic preparations in UK Covid Inquiry's first report

The Welsh government’s response to the Covid pandemic was “hampered by undue complexity," a public inquiry has found.

In the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's first report, which looks at the UK's preparedness for a pandemic, the Welsh Government was criticised over its preparations.

The report said that the system in Wales was a “labyrinthine,” and that there were failed opportunities to create a coherent system.

Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, said the findings were unsurprising, and that the UK overall didn't "consider social care enough."

He said: "Social care was in a very dark place and it's something that we all look at back upon and we all wonder how on earth we got through it."

"We at the frontline knew that things weren't going well from the outset. Clearly there was unpreparedness. It's not about blame now, we've just got to learn these lessons.

He added that he felt that the Welsh Government "did understand" that the social care sector needed more support at the time, but that he hopes that social care will be "front and centre" in UK-wide pandemic preparations in the future.

Opposition parties have branded the report “damning,” saying it “exposes serious and significant failings on the part of the Labour Welsh government”.

Vaughan Gething, the outgoing First Minister of Wales, has said the report will be studied in detail and shortcomings will be addressed in the Senedd.

The report said: “For an administration that prided itself on its efficiency of movement because of its relative lack of scale, and which had described itself as operating, effectively, ‘under one roof’, the reality did not match the rhetoric...

“The inquiry was not persuaded by the mitigation offered by (Dr Andrew Goodall permanent secretary to the Welsh government) that it made more sense to those within the system than those outside of it.

“An opportunity to create a coherent and, therefore, dynamic system in Wales had been hampered by undue complexity.”

The report also said the chief scientific adviser for Wales and the chief scientific adviser for health in Wales were “not central to pandemic preparedness and resilience”.

While health services are devolved to the Welsh government, Mark Drakeford, the former first minister of Wales, told the inquiry in February that before the first lockdown he believed the UK government would be in charge of the country’s pandemic response.

Mr Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, said: "I think we've got to be more prepared.

"Another pandemic is inevitable. That's a scientific fact.

"We've got to certainly look at these recommendations and ensure that everything that possibly can be learned from what we've gone through is actually put to good use in the future."

"But for those of us at the frontline, for our staff who were dealing with constant changes of policy, the inability to get the equipment that was needed, hospital discharges without testing, a very poor testing regime that took a long time to be put into practise... We knew things were bad.

"In Wales we certainly tried to change things, and things did get better... The sector was heard, but it was just from a very, very poor start."

Responding to the report, Andrew RT Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “It’s abundantly clear from this report that Labour ministers were out of their depth and had no idea of the state of Wales’ pandemic readiness.

“The evidence heard revealed the Labour Welsh Government to be wholly unprepared and lacking a plan.

“We need a Wales-specific Covid inquiry to rectify these blatant errors.”

The Welsh government has previously rejected calls for a specific inquiry for the country.

Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and social care, said: “This is a damning report which exposes serious and significant failings on the part of the Labour Welsh government.

“The report will make difficult reading for Covid-bereaved families and our thoughts are with them today.

“A picture of over-complex structures, lack of accountability, important work left unfinished and a general feeling of unwarranted over-confidence in preparedness plans is laid out in stark terms by (inquiry chairwoman) Baroness Hallett.

“It is of deep concern to read that some of the lessons have not been learned.”

He called on the Welsh government to “admit to its significant failings” and to implement the recommendations made in the report.

In a statement shared by the Welsh government, Mr Gething, the First Minister, said he welcomed the report.

“The publication is an important moment for Welsh families bereaved by Covid-19, and for the frontline staff who worked so hard during the pandemic to keep us all safe,” he said.

“The report highlights many recommendations relevant to Welsh Government and our partners.

“We will now study the report in detail and respond fully to the inquiry on each of these.”

The Senedd Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee will now scrutinise the report and propose to the Senedd by motion any gaps identified in the inquiry’s report.

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