The Welsh government has published a plan supported by an initial £100m funding to help the health and social care system in Wales recover from the pandemic.
The Health and Social Care in Wales - Covid-19: Looking Forward plan sets out an “ambitious but realistic approach to building back our health and care system in Wales,” said Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething (pictured).
One of the main pillars of the plan is ‘seamless social care services’ and developing the Rebalancing Care and Support white paper to provide a “route map to a modern and agile social care sector”.
Priorities include identifying the "hidden harms" caused by Covid in the social care sector and increasing the collaborative working with the NHS that has developed during the pandemic.
The plan also sets outs aspirations to boost carer recognition through improved pay and conditions, including a move towards paying the Real Living Wage.
“The pandemic has had a significant impact on our health and social care system, patients and staff. As we emerge from the most serious stage of the pandemic, we are now in a position to set out how we can start to recover,” said Gething.
“This plan sets out the broad principles of recovery and more detailed actions will follow. I am making available an initial £100m now to support the first steps, but it is clear more resources will be needed to make a full recovery,” he added.
