CARE workers in Wales have welcomed the launch of the National Care and Support Office as a step towards a national care service.

But care workers’ union Unison Cymru/Wales cautioned today that unless the amount of profit being taken out of the care sector is tackled, the new office may just become a commissioning service.

Unison care officer Mark Turner told the Star that children’s care services in Wales makes, on average, a 22 per cent profit for private companies.

“Around 64 per cent of care in Wales is delivered by the private sector, which is the largest proportion in the devolved nations,” Mr Turner said.

“One of the priorities for the new National Office will be publishing a new commissioning framework, putting ‘Fair Work’ at the centre of awarding contracts to deliver social care across Wales.

“There has been a generation-long race to the bottom in terms of pay, conditions and the de-unionisation of the care sector.

“But the chickens have come home to roost and now care is in crisis because we can’t attract people to work.”

[[{"fid":"64554","view_mode":"inlineleft","fields":{"format":"inlineleft","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Minister for Social Care Dawn Bowden","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"inlineleft","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Minister for Social Care Dawn Bowden","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"alt":"Minister for Social Care Dawn Bowden","class":"media-element file-inlineleft","data-delta":"1"}}]]Minister for social care Dawn Bowden said launching the new National Office for Care and Support marked another important step towards a national care service in Wales.

“The number of people aged 85 and over in Wales is projected to increase by more than 65 per cent over the next 20 years,” Ms Bowden added.

Chief social care officer for Wales Albert Heaney said: “It will help me to direct resources where they are most in need and benefit the most vulnerable, driving improvement in the national delivery of social care in Wales.”