National Assembly for Wales / Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru
Health and Social Care Committee/ Y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol

Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill / Bil Rheoleiddio ac Arolygu Gofal Cymdeithasol (Cymru)

Evidence from Chartered Society of Physiotherapy – RISC 23 / Tystiolaeth gan Cymdeithas Siartaredig Ffisiotherapi – RISC 23

CSP Wales Office

1 Cathedral Road

Cardiff CF11 9SD

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www.csp.org.uk

Health and Social Care Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Pierhead Street

Cardiff CF99 1NA

23^rd of April 2015

Dear Colleague

Re:  Consultation on the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill

Introduction

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is a member of both the Welsh Reablement Alliance and the Social Care and Wellbeing Wales (SCWAW) so fully endorses the response submitted jointly by these two alliances.

Overall, the CSP supports the aims and intentions of the Bill and acknowledges that this Bill needs to be considered in relation to the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act and not in isolation from it.  In particular, the CSP welcomes the intention to consider outcomes for individuals in reviews of all social services and increased public involvement in regulation and inspection of social care services.

Comments from the CSP

The CSP highlights a few comments which are of importance to the profession:

• The CSP considers there is a need to improve definitions and use of language throughout the Bill.  There continues to be confusion around the use of the terms ‘social care workforce’ and ‘social care worker’.  The Bill identifies that Social Care Wales will have responsibilities in relation to development of the whole social care workforce.  The profession considers this must be made totally clear on the face of the Bill and that the ‘social care workforce’ must be seen as being wider than just social workers and managers.
• Language and use of definitions needs to read appropriately across the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act and the Regulation and Inspection (Wales) Bill.

The profession is concerned that there should not be different definitions of a care and support service in these two pieces of legislation.

• Workforce planning responsibilities for Social Care Wales need to take into account the wider social care workforce, for example, those providing preventative services.  There needs to be recognition of cooperation and collaborative working around workforce planning in order to support the integration of services.
• The CSP has some concerns about future inspection models (in currently retaining two inspection bodies) but does acknowledge that Welsh Government intend to address this in the future.  The profession considers it will be important in relation to the future integration of health and social care and having in place the most efficient and effective model for inspection.
• The CSP continues to caution that there could potentially be a conflict of interest between the role of regulator and that of promoting and encouraging improvement.  The CSP has previously undertaken both roles operating as a professional body and a regulatory body.  The regulatory functions, however, have since been given over to the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) to prevent any conflict of interest issues arising.

Concluding remarks

The CSP is pleased to have played an active part in the scrutiny by the Health and Social Services Committee and looks forward to receiving their report.

Yours sincerely

Philippa Ford MBE MCSP

CSP Public Affairs and Policy Officer for Wales

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About the CSP and Physiotherapy

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is the professional, educational and trade union body for the UK’s 53,000 chartered physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and support workers.  The CSP represents 2,300 members in Wales.

Physiotherapists use manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and rehabilitative approaches to restore, maintain and improve movement and activity.  Physiotherapists and their teams work with a wide range of population groups (including children, those of working age and older people); across sectors; and in hospital, community and workplace settings.  Physiotherapists facilitate early intervention, support self management and promote independence, helping to prevent episodes of ill health and disability developing into chronic conditions.

Physiotherapy delivers high quality, innovative services in accessible, responsive and timely ways.  It is founded on an increasingly strong evidence base, an evolving scope of practice, clinical leadership and person centred professionalism.  As an adaptable, engaged workforce, physiotherapy teams have the skills to address healthcare priorities, meet individual needs and to develop and deliver services in clinically and cost effective ways.  With a focus on quality and productivity, physiotherapy puts meeting patient and population needs, optimising clinical outcomes and the patient experience at the centre of all it does.