£22.7m boost for Wales’ social care sector, but industry
AN EXTRA £22.7m in funding to help meet the additional costs social care providers are incurring as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has been announced.
The money, announced by Health and Social Services Minister Vaughan Gething, is in addition to the £40m the Welsh Government made available to local authorities in April to assist the adult social care sector.
But the care industry in Wales has labelled the funding announcement as being “only a temporary sticking plaster”.
Mr Gething said: “Social care plays a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and has been on the front line in our effort across public services to meet the challenges posed by Covid-19.
“The initial payment of £40m helped the sector meet the rising costs incurred during the pandemic in areas such as staffing, increased infection control, higher food prices and greater use of ICT to keep families in touch with their loved ones where they were no longer able to meet.
“This further funding will ensure adult social care providers can maintain their vital care in what continue to be challenging circumstances.”
However, Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, warned that the system for funding care is “fundamentally broken”.
Mr Kreft said: “This extra funding and the kind words from the Health Minister are most welcome.
“But the extra money is only a temporary sticking plaster to tide the sector over until September.
“What we also need as a matter of urgency is a national action plan to implement fundamental long-term structural change to a broken and fragmented system.”
It is understood that the funding from the Welsh Government will be made available immediately and continue until the end of September, after which the situation will be reviewed again.
However Mr Kreft said that the industry “cannot afford to wait until September”.
“There is no mention of additional financial support for continuing health care for nursing home residents which is funded via health boards,” he said.