2. Will the Minister outline the effect of the pandemic on the provision of homecare by social services? OQ56130

All those working in domiciliary care are making tremendous efforts to provide this vital service safely. There is a huge range of pressures, and we are working closely with local authorities, health boards and other stakeholders to help manage these pressures.

Can I thank the Minister for that response? I wish to stress the important work done by homecare. Sometimes, efficiency and transformation is confused with poorer service and poorer working conditions. Will the Minister support greater direct service provision by local authorities of homecare?

I thank Mike Hedges for that response, and I'd like to echo his words about how vitally important homecare is. We're very aware of the challenges within that sector. Only 6 per cent, at the last reckoning, of domiciliary care services were managed by local authorities, which is obviously a very small amount. As the Member will be aware, we're looking at this balance of local authority and independent care providers in our White Paper on social care futures. And we've also recently set up the social care forum to look at how we can use the levers we've got available to us in Wales to improve working conditions in social care. So, yes, we are looking at the issue the Member raises. 

Minister, that's an encouraging answer, but I think we all acknowledge these are front-line workers and the importance of domiciliary care in allowing frail and older people to live to the maximum degree possible in terms of well-being is really crucial. And I'd like to know, given the fragmented service, much of it in the independent or private sector, what support is given to domiciliary care workers who need to isolate for whatever reason?

Well, as David Melding will know, the vast majority of domiciliary care providers are in the independent sector, and so, obviously, their employers are responsible for ensuring that they have the right working conditions and the right support. But, of course, if they are obliged to isolate, they will receive the same benefits as the people in the public sector, who will have their pay topped up and they will be looked after in the same sort of way. Because the sector is so fragmented, it's really important that we use all the levers we've got to try to reach them, and this is one of the key points in the White Paper that we've recently published. 

Minister, I have grave concerns about the safety of those in assisted living, particularly adults with learning difficulties. Understandably, the pandemic has put health and care systems under tremendous strain, but we can't neglect the most vulnerable or place them at greater risk. I've been contacted by constituents concerned about family members being put at greater risk of contracting COVID from the domiciliary carers entering their homes. So, Minister, will those living in assisted living be receiving the vaccine at the same time as those living in care homes, please? 

Those that are living in assisted living places will be receiving the vaccine during the overall first tranche, which we hope to get completed by the middle of February. But I do accept that they are in a very vulnerable position and, as the Member will know, domiciliary care workers are now being tested, as well, which provides for increasing support. But I do understand that relatives are very concerned about some of their loved ones who are living in these situations, and many of them have contacted me as well. So, certainly you make a valid point, but we are doing what we can to protect those people.