THE Welsh Government has updated its vaccination programme to show how unpaid carers and people with learning disabilities will be prioritised.

Health minister Vaughan Gething announced that an updated vaccine plan would be published today, in response to updated scientific advice.

The health minister said: "The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set out that people with a severe/profound learning disability and individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, should be invited for vaccination as part of priority group six.

"There are challenges with identifying individuals within these groups, particularly given the JCVI language is not generally in use in Wales, and we are working hard to make sure that no-one is left behind.

"Today we have published guidance on identifying eligible individuals in these groups and on how to support them to take up their vaccine offers."

The Welsh Government guidance says: "Identifying individuals within these groups from health records may be challenging and could lead to some individuals not being identified for vaccination (the under-served population).

"These individuals will also require information to be accessible and will require reasonable adjustments to ensure high uptake of vaccination.

"The principle and value of being more, rather than less, inclusive to avoid missing those vulnerable people who should be vaccinated, is broadly accepted."

As a result, the Welsh Government expects to include more people in this group than might have been the case if it was "based on a strict interpretation of the JCVI guidance".

This is due to an "inclusion approach" being taken by the vaccination programme.

New guidance has also been published by the Welsh Government on the priority of unpaid carers across Wales.

READ MORE:

Mr Gething added: "The JCVI has also said that some of our invaluable unpaid carers should be included in priority group six.

"Today we have also published guidance on identifying those unpaid carers eligible for vaccine prioritisation and the process around this.

"I am grateful to the national carers’ organisations for their support with this work."

The Welsh Government guidance warns that because of the large numbers of unpaid carers across the country, believed to be in excess of 400,000, not everyone who provides care for a family member of friend will be included in priority group six.

"This is not to devalue the significant caring role undertaken by so many," it says, "rather it is to maintain the clear focus of the vaccination programme on preventing deaths and protecting our vital health and social care systems."

Unpaid carers in Wales will be prioritised for the vaccine on these factors:

The vulnerability of the person being cared for:

  • Is 65 years old and over (group 5)
  • Is deemed extremely clinically vulnerable (group 4)
  • Has a defined underlying health condition including mental illness (qualifying as group 6)
  • Is a child under 16 with complex medical needs/ severe neuro-disabilities

The nature of the care provided to those 16 and over:

  • Includes, but is not restricted to, helping with eating, bathing, shaving, managing continence, dressing and walking. It may include intervening in challenging or risky behaviour. It may include providing significant levels of support and supervision at home or in the community and where social distancing is not possible

The nature of the care provided to children under 16 with complex medical needs/ severe neuro-disabilities:

  • Is beyond the care and support parents ordinarily provide for a child. It is likely to include tasks like tracheostomy tube care, airway suction, repositioning to manage pressure areas and care interventions such as respiratory physiotherapy. It may include intensive personal care such as daily washing and continence care and /or managing behaviours that challenge.

The unpaid carer is the sole or primary carer:

  • We recognise that caring for some people may require two people to assist with such tasks as positioning, hoisting, bathing and changing. There may be arrangements whereby two people evenly divide the caring responsibilities. In such instances, both unpaid carers may be considered as the primary carers

Young carers under 16 will not be offered the vaccination. No children under 16 are being vaccinated, unless in exceptional circumstances due to severe-neuro disabilities.