Planning and commissioning social care is the responsibility of the 22 local authorities of Wales.
[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales 40% of Welsh residents who may have needed social care were unable to access it.
Some were “afraid of catching Covid” or didn't want to add extra burden on stretched social care services but other reasons included a lack of availability or staff shortages; being deemed ineligible or otherwise not being offered care and the application or access processes being too complex.
86% of respondents to a survey carried out by Swansea University early in 2022 felt that the social care system in Wales was in need of reform and that this should be a high priority.
Most agreed that social care staff should have comparable pay, working conditions and career progression opportunities relative to equivalent career stage NHS staff.