Welsh NHS Confederation responds to Prime Minister’s plans for the future of social care
The Welsh NHS Confederation's response to the prime minister’s plans for a national care service for England.
Responding to the Prime Minister's proposals for social care reform in England, Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said:
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s ambition to make social care reform a national priority and to accelerate the Casey Review. This renewed focus must lead to lasting change and recognise the essential contribution social care makes to people, communities and the wider health system.
“Social care remains one of the biggest challenges facing society and the health and care systems in all parts of the UK. Whilst significant work has already been done here in Wales, further reform is long overdue. It is essential to help people live well and independently in their communities, while building a more sustainable health and care system for future generations. The contribution social care makes across Wales is often unseen, but cannot be overstated.
“As the voice of NHS leaders in Wales, we have consistently called for long-term reform that puts social care on a sustainable footing. This requires stable funding, a valued workforce, better use of data, and stronger integration between health and social care services. We believe there must be greater collaboration between the NHS, local government and social care providers in how services are planned, commissioned and resourced.
“We hope these latest announcements start a wider national conversation about the future of social care. While social care policy is devolved, we would encourage the Welsh Government and Westminster Government to work closely together as reforms develop, ensuring people in Wales, and the services that support them, benefit from shared learning, innovation and sustainable improvement across the whole system.
“Reforming social care will require sustained action beyond a single Senedd term. We therefore encourage the Welsh Government to work with all political parties to build lasting consensus on the long-term future, funding and sustainability of social care, recognising that a sustainable social care system is essential to the future of the NHS in Wales.”