A CONSERVATIVE MS led a debate on structuring a social care system fit for 21st-century Wales amid concerns about a recruitment and retention crisis.

Gareth Davies told the Senedd there is a predicted £646 million funding gap in social services and the Welsh Local Government Association has warned of record levels of demand.

The shadow social services minister said workforce retention is particularly poor in the social care sector with a high staff turnover.

The Vale of Clwyd MS highlighted an Oxfam study which showed that 68 per cent of adults in Wales think that care work is not valued highly enough by the Welsh Government.

“The burden on the NHS is also reduced significantly when we have a successful, functioning social care system," he said.

“Currently, we are still seeing bottlenecks forming in hospital wards where patients are not being discharged when they are medically fit.”

Responding to the short debate on Wednesday, January 17, Julie Morgan told MSs that supporting the most vulnerable people is the Welsh Government’s top priority.

The deputy minister for social services pointed to a 3.1 per cent increase in the revenue support grant, which funds council social services, in the draft 2024-25 spending plans.

Mrs Morgan said: “People who were waiting in hospital and who were medically fit to go home – that is one of our highest priorities because, obviously, it's very damaging for people to stay in hospital when they are medically fit and able to go.”