Additional money for social care welcomed but long-term plan needed

Responding to the Welsh Government’s Final Budget 2025-26 following an agreement between the Welsh Government and Jane Dodds MS, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Darren Hughes said:

“NHS leaders will welcome the additional £30 million for social care, along with the further agreements made for local authorities and additional funding for some of the wider determinants of health.

“As we highlighted in our written and oral evidence on behalf of NHS leaders, health and social care are intrinsically linked, so unless we improve all parts of the system, no one part can expect to sufficiently progress. We need to see continued action from the government on social care to work towards a stable provider market and a sustainable workforce that is properly valued, paid and respected for their important work.

“There’s a need for clarity around employer’s National Insurance Contributions, as this will impact not just social care providers but health and care partners across primary care including GP practices, opticians, pharmacies and so on, as well as third sector partners – costs which will no doubt be passed on to the NHS.

“Long-term financial certainty is needed for health and social care to transform to meet the needs of the population, including investment in a long-term capital and infrastructure strategy to drive efficiency, boost productivity and improve patient outcomes. We also cannot forget the importance of the wider determinants of health and their impact on population health and reducing inequalities. We must work across all sectors and government departments to improve health in the long-term.”