'We need to talk about Adult Social Care', Powys Senedd Member says
We’ve just faced an incredibly cold spell this winter and this has put an incredible amount of pressure on the NHS
What the Welsh Liberal Democrats want is to get people out of hospitals and back safely to their communities.
In Powys Teaching Health Board, in November, 62 people were waiting each day to leave their hospital beds, which amounted to a 2,593 count of days delayed with many of these unable to leave because of the lack of social care provisions in their communities.
The Social Care sector is already in crisis. What we don’t need is Reform’s attack on public service on top of this.
That is why I am very concerned about comments made last year by Nigel Farage at his party conference where he said the party intended to “outline some serious cuts” to the welfare budget.
Recent actions by local authorities in England have shown us the potential consequences of such an approach. Councils in Kent, Lancashire and Derbyshire have either proposed or made cuts to adult social care services.
Other Reform led councils across the UK are proposing an increase in Council Tax to fill the gap. Reform UK are taking away people’s Social Care. Wales is particularly vulnerable to this threat.
It has an older population and higher levels of long-term illness than much of the UK, making it more dependent on both social care and NHS provision.
We cannot be naïve about the threat to Adult Social Care.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats will make sure that Adult Social Care would be properly invested and make sure that the NHS is a properly functioning Health Care Service ready to face the challenges that 2026 will have for us.
Mid and West Wales Senedd Member Jane Dodds
