Service users to gain more say in national care decisions

Service users and carers in Wales will have a greater say in how the national care system is run in future, the deputy social services minister has revealed.

Gwenda Thomas told the National Social Services Conference last week that she intends to set up a “citizen panel” to boost service user engagement.

She also announced that a framework will be developed to monitor whether people are receiving better services and a new standards, performance and improvement team will be introduced to encourage sharing of good practice.

In addition, she revealed that the Welsh government has decided not to include “radical” proposals for reforming regulation of the social care workforce in the forthcoming Social Services (Wales) Bill.

Instead, the proposed reforms will now form the basis of a white paper next year, leading to a separate bill on regulation.

The move was welcomed by the Care Council for Wales, whose chair, Arwel Ellis Owen, said: “”We look forward to working closely with the government and partners to scope and inform future regulation based on evidence, experience and reflection.”

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Kirsty McGregor is Community Care’s workforce editor