Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:
“People living and working in care homes in Wales, and their families and friends, will be hugely relieved that testing will now be available to residents and staff in all care homes in Wales, following today’s announcement from the Welsh Government.
“I called for testing to be made available to all care homes in Wales at the end of April, and while this announcement is welcome, there will no doubt be questions about why it took until now for the Welsh Government to change its policy on testing.
“It’s now crucial that the testing promised is delivered quickly and effectively throughout Wales.
“As the information on the policy provided by the Welsh Government is limited, I will be seeking clarity on a number of details, particularly in terms of turnaround times for tests, and the need for individuals to potentially be tested multiple times.
“Alongside this, I will continue to monitor and scrutinise the action being taken by the Welsh Government – on testing and a range of other measures – to ensure that people living and working in care homes in Wales are kept safe and protected.”