Local authority leaders in Wales have called on the Welsh Government to invest more in social care to ease the pressure on the NHS this winter.
The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said the care sector needed ‘urgent investment’ and called for parity across the entire health and social care system.
Workforce shortages, increasing demand, and inflationary pressures are putting pressure on social care and having a knock-on effect on the NHS, according to the WLGA.
Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, Health and Social Services spokesperson for the WLGA, said the country ‘can’t keep relying on quick fixes’.
‘We need to ensure the right levels of investment are available to ensure we have a properly joined-up system that prevents hospital admissions, helps people stay independent, and makes sure they can leave hospital when they're ready, with the appropriate care and support in the community.’
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: 'We have protected funding for both health and social services in our last budget. We will be discussing the budget and service challenges local authorities face through our formal and informal meetings as part of our usual budget engagement.
'We’ve provided significant investment through a series of revenue and capital grants that are helping us to build an integrated community care system for Wales that will support people to live well and stay well at home in their communities.'
