There are 1,000 NHS staff currently off work due to Covid according to Mark Drakeford.
The First Minister made the comments in Plenary on the afternoon of September 20. Covid rates are currently incredibly low having been falling constantly in Wales since the end of June according to the ONS infection survey. It is now the lowest it has been for more than a year. Despite this fall, the virus is still having an impact on a Welsh health service which is struggling to work through the monstrous backlog of procedures.
Drakeford was asked by Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies about people waiting for procedures. He said: "We have heard from you in July that there was an orthopaedic summit held by the Minister in August, but we've had no update as to any positives that might have emerged from that summit. Could you now update us as to what exactly has happened from that summit and what we might see as we go into the winter months so that people can have confidence that they will get the procedures that they require?"
