A new opinion poll carried out by Savanta ComRes on behalf of the public services union, UNISON, has revealed that 72 per cent of the Welsh public would support the creation of a National Care Service, similar to the NHS, to deliver social care for older, disabled, and vulnerable people.
The poll of 1,021 people released on Wednesday (14 April) also found that 90 per cent of the public believe that the country's largely female care workforce should be paid a minimum wage of at least £9,50 an hour— the level set by the independent Living Wage Foundation.
Welsh care workers typically earn only the national minimum wage, which increased on 1 April to £8.91 an hour.
UNISON is campaigning for the country's political parties to include the establishment of a National Care Service for Wales in their manifestos ahead of the Senedd election on 6 May.
UNISON Cymru regional secretary, Karen Loughlin, said:
“Care workers aren’t valued in the same way as NHS staff and there must be a complete overhaul of the care sector. UNISON is calling for a National Care Service for Wales which puts dignity and respect for clients and staff at its heart.”