BASW Cymru Response to the report on the Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care - Transforming Health and Care in Wales

BASW Cymru Response to the report on the Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care - Transforming Health and Care in Wales

The British Association of Social Workers Cymru welcomes the publishing of the final report on the Parliamentary review of Health and Social Care. The report’s ambition is that there should be ‘One seamless system for Wales’.

The report makes 10 high level recommendations around 4 key goals:

§  Improving the health and wellbeing of the population

§  Improving the experience and quality of care for individuals and their families

§  Improving the wellbeing and engagement of the workforce

§  Increasing the value achieved from the resources that are invested in services

The key goals and recommendations reflect the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 in ensuring that wellbeing, citizen voice and control and sustainability are central to service planning, design and delivery. The report is to be commended on also ensuring that the wellbeing needs of the workforce are not overlooked.

It is promising that the report acknowledges the role that the Arts play in the wellbeing of the nation, something that has been lost in times of severe budgetary constraint.

The terms of reference for the review did not include how to resource future health and social care needs, but focuses on better outcomes. How we achieve better outcomes without properly funding a health and social care system that has been chronically underfunded since austerity measures were introduced in 2010, remains the most pressing challenge of all.

The British Association of Social Workers Cymru looks forward to Welsh Government’s new long-term plan for health and social care, which is due in Spring. We will work in partnership with other key stakeholders in Wales to ensure that the recommendations of the report are translated into action.

Allison Hulmes

Professional Officer

BASW Cymru