Care at home: saying one thing and doing another

There has been an increasing trend amongst local councils to require care workers to spend no more than 15 minutes with clients. Fifteen minutes is simply not long enough to respond properly to the needs of those receiving care. First and foremost people want to be treated like human beings. Fifteen minutes is hardly enough time to help get someone out of bed and dressed. Care visits lasting less than a quarter of an hour not only let down patients, but they also let down care workers who can’t offer the full support they would like to.  It is something the Welsh Liberal Democrats have campaigned against.

However, whereas the Labour party at Westminster now claim that they will end '15 minute care', here in Wales, where Labour is in Government, the party has consistently voted against our efforts to end the practice. Figures show that 83% of local authorities in Wales commission 15 minute care visits. As with zero hour contacts, we are seeing Labour say one thing in England, but doing the exact opposite in Wales where they are actually in Government.

Welsh Liberal Democrats want to end this practice, yet at every opportunity Welsh Labour has blocked our plans.

[From an article in Seaside News by Peter Black Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West]