Welsh Labour pledges new social care champion

A re-elected Welsh Labour Government will introduce a new senior champion to boost social care and bring national leadership and greater esteem to the care profession.

Modelled on the role of Chief Medical Officer, the new Chief Social Care Officer for Wales will be the first of its kind to be created in the UK. They will be a champion for all social care professionals in Wales and provide impartial advice to Welsh Ministers.

Welsh labour says that the position’s independent overview and understanding of the care sector will give social care additional prominence across Wales. The pledge forms part of a package to secure a Fair Deal for Social Care, including a headline election pledge to deliver the Real Living Wage for all social care workers in Wales.

In March, Welsh Labour Ministers announced a special one-off payment for all NHS and social care staff equivalent to £735 per person. The amount covers the basic rate of tax and national insurance contributions, and so after deductions most people will receive £500.

Welsh Labour’s Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “Welsh Labour has the right plan to get us through the pandemic, and to use what the crisis has taught us to build a fairer Wales. The creation of the Chief Social Care Officer is part of our fair deal for social care – giving those on the frontline a stronger voice and a seat at the table, advising ministers.

“The dedication of the social care workforce in the face of coronavirus has inspired the nation. They have been on the frontline in incredibly difficult circumstances and yet, in private settings, have often been paid some of the lowest wages. We will begin to put that right by delivering the Real Living Wage for all social care workers in Wales. There is so much that we will need to do to recover from the virus. This election is the chance to give Welsh Labour the tools to finish the job, and keep moving Wales forward.”