Care Support Workers

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:25 pm on 15 June 2022.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 2:25, 15 June 2022

I thank Mike Hedges for that supplementary question. Obviously, I agree with him how important social care is for people to live in their own homes and to live happy and fulfilled lives. As the Member will know, we've set up a social care fair work forum, made up of employers, unions and other bodies, and they advised us on how to introduce the real living wage. Their next steps now will be to look at how we can improve the terms and conditions of social care workers. I think we're all agreed that there's absolutely no doubt that social care workers need to have their terms and conditions improved. We are developing a strategic national framework for commissioned care and support, and that will set national standards. We're also committed to creating a national care service where care would be free at the point of need. We're awaiting the report from the expert group, which is looking at recommendations for the national care service, and I think we will have a lot more to say on this subject after they've reported.