English: I'm very pleased to have been able to play a role in this hugely important inquiry. The pandemic has caused wider damage than simply the direct physical damage caused by COVID-19 itself, and I think we can expect the impact of the pandemic on mental health to last possibly longer than the impact on physical health. We heard as part of this inquiry about the direct impact of the pandemic and the restrictions on people's mental health, of the loss of loved ones without being able to be with them in those crucial hours, those feelings of loneliness and isolation, and people not having a meaningful role during these times. But also there's been an impact on people's access to mental health services, sometimes because of restrictions and additional pressures on the health service, and at other times because people were not sure where to turn during the pandemic - they weren't comfortable, perhaps, talking to people on these new digital platforms about things that may be causing them anxiety. There was even uncertainty at the outset as to which services were to be provided. We had that shocking incident in north Wales when almost 1,700 people were told that they were to be taken off waiting lists for mental health care. Yes, an admission was made that that was a mistake, but it tells you something that somebody somewhere thought for just one second that it might be acceptable to tell people who were on waiting lists for mental health care that they would have to be taken off those waiting lists. We did discuss during this inquiry the fact that we don't need to overmedicalise things on all occasions, that we need to take account of our natural, emotional responses - bereavement, sadness, anxiety about the current situation, and so on and so forth - and we need to think of other ways of looking at the well-being of people. I've been pushing the Government to do everything possible to allow outdoor exercise and to ensure that people can get out in the outdoors. These are soft approaches, but equally important. If we look at the impact on certain groups, I'm very grateful to Bethan Sayed for the work that she has done in emphasising the need to think about the well-being of new parents. That is very important. But I will conclude by just mentioning two of the groups that we looked at specifically. One is the front-line workforce. We need to keep those in the front of our minds, and the evidence that we heard very clearly that many will be feeling impacts similar to PTSD even for years to come because of this. I would like to hear the Minister's comments on the steps that will be taken to ensure that sort of support in the long term for health and care workers who have been through so much and have been so selfless throughout this period. The second is the impact on older people and what steps the Welsh Government will take to support them - yes, those in care homes, and those who will have loved ones in care homes. The loneliness that has been felt by so many is something that is going to require support for years to come. Yes, this has been a mental health crisis as well as a physical health crisis, and it's always important that we bear that in mind.
Welsh: Rydw innau'n falch iawn o fod wedi gallu chwarae rôl yn yr ymchwiliad pwysig iawn, iawn yma. Mae'r pandemig wedi achosi niwed ehangach na dim ond niwed corfforol, uniongyrchol COVID-19 ei hun, a dwi'n meddwl y gallwn ni ddisgwyl i effaith y pandemig ar iechyd meddwl i bara, o bosib, yn hirach na'r effaith ar iechyd corfforol. Mi glywsom ni yn yr ymchwiliad yma am effaith uniongyrchol y pandemig a'r cyfyngiadau ar iechyd meddwl pobl, o golli anwyliaid heb allu bod efo nhw ar yr oriau tyngedfennol, y teimladau yna o unigrwydd, teimladau o fod yn ynysig, a phobl yn methu â bod â rôl ystyrlon yn ystod y cyfnod yma. Ond hefyd, wrth gwrs, mae yna effaith wedi bod ar fynediad pobl at wasanaethau iechyd meddwl, weithiau oherwydd cyfyngiadau a phwysau ychwanegol ar y gwasanaeth iechyd, dro arall pobl ddim yn siŵr iawn lle i droi yn ystod y pandemig - ddim yn gyfforddus i siarad efo pobl ar y platfformiau digidol newydd yma am bethau sydd yn eu poeni nhw. Mi oedd yna hyd yn oed ansicrwydd ar y dechrau ynglŷn â pha wasanaethau oedd i fod i gael eu cynnig. Mi gawsom ni'r digwyddiad syfrdanol yna yn y gogledd pan gafodd bron iawn i 1,700 o bobl glywed eu bod nhw'n cael eu tynnu oddi ar y rhestrau aros am ofal iechyd meddwl. Do, mi gyfaddefwyd mai camgymeriad oedd hynny, ond mae o'n dweud rhywbeth bod rhywun yn rhywle wedi meddwl am eiliad y byddai hi'n dderbyniol i ddweud wrth bobl oedd ar y rhestrau aros am ofal iechyd meddwl y byddent yn gorfod cael eu tynnu oddi ar y rhestrau hynny. Rydyn ni wedi trafod yn ystod yr ymchwiliad yma hefyd y ffaith nad oes angen gorfedicaleiddio, os liciwch chi, pethau bob amser, bod angen bod yn ystyrlon o bethau sydd yn ymatebion naturiol, emosiynol - galar, tristwch, pryderon ynglŷn â'r sefyllfa gyffredinol, ac ati - a bod angen meddwl am ffyrdd eraill o edrych ar lesiant pobl. Dwi wedi bod yn awyddus iawn i wthio'r Llywodraeth i wneud popeth posib i ganiatáu ymarfer corff yn yr awyr agored, i ganiatáu i bobl fynd allan am awyr iach, y pethau yma sy'n feddal ond yr un mor bwysig. Mi edrychom ni ar yr effaith ar rai grwpiau yn benodol. Dwi'n ddiolchgar iawn i Bethan Sayed am y gwaith mae hi wedi'i wneud yn pwysleisio yr angen i feddwl am lesiant rhieni newydd. Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn. Ond mi wna i gloi jest drwy siarad yn sydyn iawn am ddau o'r grwpiau y gwnaethom ni edrych arnyn nhw yn benodol. Un yw'r gweithlu rheng flaen. Mae eisiau inni gofio amdanyn nhw, a'r dystiolaeth a glywsom ni'n glir iawn yw y bydd llawer yn teimlo effeithiau tebyg i PTSD, hyd yn oed, am gyfnod i ddod oherwydd hyn. Mi hoffwn i glywed gan y Gweinidog sylwadau'n benodol ynglŷn â'r camau fydd yn cael eu cymryd i sicrhau y math yna o gefnogaeth hirdymor i weithwyr iechyd a gofal sydd wedi bod drwy gymaint, ac wedi bod mor anhunanol yn ystod y cyfnod yma. Y llall ydy'r effaith ar bobl hŷn a pha gamau fydd y Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i'w cefnogi nhw - ie, y rhai sydd mewn cartrefi gofal, o bosib rhai sydd â'u hanwyliaid mewn cartrefi gofal. Mae'r unigrwydd sydd wedi cael ei deimlo gan lawer yn rhywbeth sydd yn mynd i olygu cefnogaeth a'r angen am gefnogaeth am amser hir i ddod. Ydy, mae hwn wedi bod yn argyfwng iechyd meddwl, yn ogystal ag iechyd corfforol. Mae'n bwysig bob amser ein bod ni'n cofio hynny.