Social Care News

Mario Kreft praises 'visionary' long-serving social services minister after surprise departure

Mario Kreft has praised the former Welsh Government deputy social services minister, Gwenda Thomas, after her surprise departure from government following Carwyn Jones' September cabinet reshuffle. Social services will now come under the wing of health secretary Professor Mark Drakeford.

Mrs Thomas made history when she shepherded Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Bill that will transform how social care is delivered in Wales through the National Assembly. The bill is one of the largest and most complex ever considered by the Assembly and will eliminate postcode lotteries by creating national eligibility criteria.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, worked closely with Mrs Thomas, the AM for Neath, over a number of years. He said: "I have huge admiration for Gwenda Thomas who is a visionary politician with great integrity. She is the doyenne of social care in Wales.

“It will be a huge loss to all those who have worked so closely with her to get through what has been the most important and far reaching legislation that has so far been passed by a Welsh Government. We as an organisation and those in the independent sector, particularly those in the private sector, have found new hope really thanks to her wise stewardship.

"We know that we operate in a country where a lot of people do not see necessarily the value or agree that a lot of independent social care services should even exist.

"But being the pragmatist, understanding the intricacies and indeed the quality that exists, Gwenda Thomas brought together not just a political consensus around the new act but importantly a sector consensus.

"While her departure from the front rank is a huge loss, she leaves a fantastic legacy that we will all be remembering for decades if not generations to come because it will provide a new framework for Wales."

Grateful for support for Wales Care Awards

Mr Kreft spoke of his gratitude to Gwenda Thomas for her support of social care as a profession. He said: "Something else that set Gwenda Thomas apart was her passion to make social care a profession to be proud. We are grateful for her tireless support of the Wales Care Awards and her vision in ensuring there was a Dignity in Care Award [category] to raise the standing of the profession.

"Last but not least, we greatly valued her support for the creation of an academy for social care workers, the Academy of Care Practitioners.

"Gwenda Thomas will go down in history as someone who made an immense contribution to social care and ushered in a golden age of partnership between the public and private sectors," added Mr Kreft.