Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that social workers will have to play an increasingly important role in our care system

Written by Jenny Randerson AM and published in British Social Worker on Wed 21st Mar 2007

Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that social workers will have to play an increasingly important role in our care system.An increasingly elderly population and increased expectations will create huge challenges.

We would speed up the introduction of a structured approach to pay and conditions for social workers instead of the current 'lucky dip' pay system.

Our big idea for social care is to introduce shared budgets for specific services. Often the competing needs of health and social services meant that patients lose out. By pooling budgets, we can ensure that patients come first and that money follows their needs, rather than their treatment depending on who has most money in their budget. Delayed transfers of care are one example where this would help ensure joint-working between the NHS and Social Services to tackle the problem.

We would bring healthcare and well-being services together through Health Hubs. These centres will bring together a whole range of patient services in the community, including direct health services such as GPs, physiotherapists, pharmacies as well as housing and social services, or CABs. Many health issues cross health boundaries, by bringing together different patient services these health hubs can evolve to meet the particular needs of communities.

We would aim to employ more physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech & language therapists and will integrate them fully into health teams dealing with patients suffering from stroke and other chronic conditions. In the case of occupational therapists and physiotherapists, in particular, more need to be employed in social services, rather than the NHS.

New laws on mental health are currently being introduced for England and Wales - laws we do not support. We will demand the powers to introduce a Welsh law (or measure) on mental health so that we can put human rights at the forefront of the law, as they have done in Scotland.

We would expect to see a dedicated mental health advocacy service by 2009, and through more cooperation on the commissioning of services ensure that specialist help is available across the country.

We need to increase the capacity of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services too, by examining ways of recruiting more staff, reviewing funding arrangements and establishing easier means of referral. We aim to increase capacity within Wales for the treatment of those with eating disorders.

Free home care for the disabled remains the long-term aim of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We will establish a commission to find a way to implement free home care for the Disabled. The Welsh Liberal Democrats would allow social workers, nurses and pharmacists to maximise and expand the range of skills they already have to play an even more influential role in the health community.

At the Welsh General Elections, the policies put forward by each party are what makes the difference. We want a fair, green future for Wales and we will be putting forward a programme for government which can deliver it.

For detailed policy please consult our website at www.welshlibdems.org