Health and Social Care Committee's inquiry on improving access to support for unpaid carers: Welsh NHS Confederation response
Key points
Unpaid carers are fundamental to the sustainability of health and social care and to communities across Wales. Their contribution supports individuals and communities across the nation. However, despite the existence of support services, unpaid carers experience multiple barriers when accessing support they need.
A primary barrier to support is the failure to identify carers early and effectively. Despite legal rights under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014, a significant number of carers are left unrecognised: 36% of carers took more than three years to be identified. Critical identification points, such as medical settings (hospitals and GPs), which 72% of carers prefer, only identify 12% of carers.
Ultimately, the challenges facing unpaid carers in Wales are systemic, multifaceted, and rooted in a disconnect between strong legislative intent and inconsistent practical delivery. Unpaid carers are being pushed into poverty and crisis due to a failure to commit to multi-year, sustainable investment in flexible, preventative services and a lack of consistent, high-quality statutory support.
To rectify this, our members suggest improving professional training, guaranteeing transparency and advocacy in the assessment process, and securing long-term, flexible funding for community-based support to move from a crisis-led system to a truly preventative one. Finally, dedicated, sustainable funding is essential for long-term planning, and funds for prevention and carer support must be ringfenced against competing demands.
