Written question WQ86163

There are a range of factors will impact transfers of care, not limited to social care. To more accurately capture detail on patient flow and discharge a refreshed reporting mechanism, to be known as “Pathways of Care Delays Reporting”, is currently being piloted with health boards. The new system will help provide standardised, timely information on delayed discharges across Wales, providing a more accurate picture that will help ensure health board and social services partners collaborative understanding.

In terms of the social care workforce, we have invested significantly to support the recruitment and retention of social care staff in Wales including through an additional payment to 63,000 social care workers in June and through intensive recruitment campaigns using the WeCare.Wales brand.

We introduced the real living wage for social care workers earlier this year, making £43m of funding available for 2022-23, and will consider the impact of Real Living Wage uplift as part of the Draft Budget planning for 2023-24. We continue to work in social partnership with the sector through the Social Care Fair Work Forum to improve terms and conditions in the sector.

Local authorities are working with health boards to increase community bed capacity for the winter. The objective is to create extra step down to recover beds and community equivalent provision, alongside taking additional measures to boost the community care workforce. The focused effort is consistent with, and complementary to the national Urgent and Emergency Care programme of work.