Cleifion Gofal Dwys heb eu brechu

2 February 2022

Dear 

ATISN 15946 – Unvaccinated ICU Patients 

Thank you for your request to the Welsh Government for information under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) received on 11 January 2022. I have interpreted your request as follows: 

1.  The numbers and ages of people in ICU, of and with COVID, unvaccinated and vaccinated in Wales as of 7 January 2022.

2.  By vaccination status:
          a.   How many have no jabs.
          b.   Less than 3 weeks since 1st jab.
          c.   1 jab but less than 2 weeks since 2nd jab.
         d.   2 jabs but less than 2 
         e.   3 weeks since booster.

3.  How many Welsh hospitals have ICU units and what is the distribution of COVID patients.

Our response

•    On Q1, the Welsh Government does not routinely collect the information relating to the numbers of people in critical care with COVID-19 by vaccination status. The figures used by the First Minister in his press conference on 7 January were based upon management information gathered by officials and would have been a snapshot of the position at the time of collection. Information gathered on 6 January was that there were 35 patients with COVID-19 in critical care beds, 18 of whom were unvaccinated. This information is published on the Welsh Government website. The age of the patients was not collected.

•    The number of COVID-19 cases as of 7 January in ICU (select indicator “Invasive ventilated bed occupied by COVID-19 case”). However, this doesn’t include their vaccination status or age.*  
•    Information on the age of individuals admitted to critical care is published within the ICNARC report for Wales ICNARC – Reports. Please refer to the latest Wales report on the right hand side of the page, currently ICNARC_COVID-19_Report_Wales_2022-01-28.pdf.

•    On Q2, information about vaccination status is available from Public Health Wales - Rapid COVID-19 virology - Public (Tableau Public) and their report on Vaccine status in cases and hospital inpatients Survey of vaccine status in cases and hospital inpatients.pdf (wales.nhs.uk), but this doesn’t include specific information relating to critical care.

•    On Q3, 13 Welsh hospitals have critical care units. The distribution of Covid-19 patients can be found on the link above marked with a * by Health Board.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at: 

Information Rights Unit
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ 
or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above. 

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: 

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely,