Homecare Association response to the Rebalancing Care consultation

The Homecare Association have responded to the Rebalancing Care and Support consultation issued by the Welsh Government.

In our response we welcome the potential of outcomes based commissioning and we welcome the combination of a nationl code of practice for commissioning and a National Office for Social Care. We support the principle of a progression framework.

We highlight concerns about the need for additional funding to enable commissioners to be able to pay fair and sustainable rates to providers and to enable providers to provide adeqaute pay and terms and conditions to staff. There is a lack of clarity about whether that funding is available. The success of some of the aspirations within these policy documents is dependent upon it.

We raise concerns about the risk of making commissioning simpler for commissioners at the expense of making the process more complicated for providers and/or offering less choice to people who need care and support. We query the promotion of micro-care provision as an unregulated form of care and query whether the Welsh Government have considered how this is affecting the shape of the market as a whole. We also note the potential substantial costs and workforce capacity required to improve staff's Welsh Language skills.

We look forward to continuing to liaise with the Welsh Government as the proposals develop.