Social care commissioning standards may be ‘unachievable’

Published

3 months ago

September 26, 2024

PLAID Cymru’s shadow health and social care secretary warned that new Wales-wide standards for commissioning care may be unachievable due to financial pressures.

Mabon ap Gwynfor raised concerns about the national rules for councils and health boards on commissioning care and support, which came into force on September 1.

He welcomed the reform’s overall aims but cautioned that councils, which will primarily be responsible for implementation, are already “hurtling” into an existential crisis.

Mr ap Gwynfor said councils are contending with a 3.8% increase in spending pressures this year compared with a 0.3% rise in funding, with a projected £750m shortfall by 2027.

He told the Senedd: “There remains widespread concern that the principles and standards outlined in this framework, as worthy as they are, will be unachievable in practical terms.”

Mr ap Gwynfor, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said non-ring-fenced parts of the Welsh budget, which include social care, are facing a £683m real-terms cut over five years.

Dawn Bowden, Wales’ social care minister, argued the bulk of the reforms ask councils and health boards to do things differently rather than to do more.

“It’s about moving away from complexity towards simplicity,” she said in a statement to the Senedd on September 24.

“It’s about moving away from price towards social value and quality, and it’s about moving away from reactive commissioning and towards managing the market.”

Altaf Hussain, the Conservatives’ shadow social care minister, described the new code as a welcome step in ensuring a uniform approach to care commissioning.

But Dr Hussain was concerned that moving away from price-driven contracts could have a detrimental impact on council and health board budgets.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, broadly backed the reforms but raised concerns about social care recruitment and retention in rural Wales.

She warned: “People in our care sector and our health sector are really overwhelmed at the moment and to pile on them, yet again, another change is a real challenge.”

Labour’s Julie Morgan, who was previously social care minister, described the reforms as a building block towards the vision of a national care service.

She stressed the importance of better pay, saying care workers can get much more to do a similar job in the NHS which makes retention difficult.

Ms Bowden said the new national office for care and support within the Welsh Government, which was established in April, will play a key role in implementing the framework.

Wales-wide commissioning rules form part of a swathe of reforms proposed by the Welsh Government in an effort to tackle the social care crisis.

The ambition, agreed as part of the cooperation deal with Plaid Cymru, is to establish a national care and support service – free at the point of need, similar to the NHS.

An implementation plan was published by the Welsh Government in December, with the reforms expected to take at least ten years.

Phase one includes establishing national commissioning arrangements, a voluntary pay framework, and a national office for care and support.

Political opponents have cautioned of the potential negative consequences of imposing a litany of changes on a sector already struggling to cope.

A lack of funding is the crux of the crisis but it is often the elephant in the room.

The scale of the issue means Wales is reliant on Westminster bringing forward reforms in England, which would result in consequential funding for the Welsh Government.

But, for decades, successive Conservative- and Labour-led governments appear to have kicked social care into the long grass.

Before a u-turn in September 2022, Boris Johnson’s UK Government proposed a health and social care levy which was expected to raise about £13bn a year.

And Carwyn Jones’ Welsh Government, which cut health to protect social care spending, commissioned independent research on paying for Wales’ social care needs.

Gerry Holtham, an economist, proposed a similar levy or tax increase in 2018.

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

17 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Community

Restoration of a pond hopes to support biodiversity in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

AN OLD millpond at the heart of the Wallis and Ambleston community, and a site of Special Scientific Interest, has now been improved to benefit water quality and increase biodiversity in an area of South Wales, thanks to funding from Nestlé Waters UK.

Wallis Pond was created in 1836 as part of the tributary of the Wester Cleddau River to supply water to a local mill. Back in 1978, it was restored and later re-opened by HRH King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales.

Over the years, the pond had become completely silted up, restricting the waters passage and the pond’s ability to retain water, resulting in a reduced diversity of habitat in and around the millpond.

Pembrokeshire County Council, Heavyside Landscapes and Nestlé Waters UK have come together to restore the millpond with regulatory guidance from Natural Resources Wales and support from the Ambleston Community Council.

The project saw the pond re-dug and de-silted, and the old sluice gate replaced to re-establish the millpond. With the pond now able to hold more water, it is hoped to help build resilience to the increased frequency and intensity of storm events, alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.

Retention of flows in the pond for a longer time should help reduce silt build-up and prevent nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates from travelling downstream in the Cleddau catchment, helping to protect water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and encourage eels, otters, damselflies, and other wildlife species.

Restoration of Wallis Pond is one of the projects that Nestlé Waters is working on as part of its efforts to help regenerate local water cycles and create a positive water impact everywhere the company operates.

Matthew Faulkner, Factory Manager at the Nestlé Waters site in Princes Gate, said: “We are proud to be a part of the Wallis Pond restoration work, aimed at delivering long-lasting benefits in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle at source Princes Gate and Nestlé Pure Life waters. This beautiful landscape is not only our home, but also home to some incredible flora and fauna which are vital for keeping the area rich and thriving in biodiversity.

“We’re working hard to protect this land and the water beneath our feet. Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility, and caring for it takes the whole community. That’s why we’re grateful to be working with partners on this project that will hopefully have a positive impact on the local ecosystem and community.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at the Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We welcome this funding to enhance the biodiversity in Wallis Pond which can be enjoyed by the residents of Ambleston, the wider communities in Pembrokeshire and the visitors to our fantastic county.

“This is an excellent example of partnership working that has significant benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of generations to come.”

Eirian Forrest, Clerk at the Ambleston Community Council, said: “We are grateful to Nestlé Waters UK for the funding and wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this project, especially the Pembrokeshire County Council team, for pushing the project forwards.

“The Community Council are delighted that the work has finally been done and look forward to the positive impact it will have on biodiversity. We have already received many positive comments from members of the community. The improved pond encourages locals to take a walk around the area, as well as sit down to watch and enjoy the wildlife.”