National Office for Care and Support

The National Office is a team within Welsh Government with responsibility for:

• supporting the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales in their role
• developing, implementing, and delivering the National Care Service for Wales
• implementing and managing the national commissioning framework for care and support in Wales

The National Office for Care and Support in Wales helps to make social care better for everyone. It aims to improve outcomes, access to care and service-user experience.

The National Office works with Welsh Government Ministers and the Chief Social Care Officer to:

• provide strong national leadership and strategic direction within the spirit of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• support and enable delivery of national priorities and standards, particularly in relation to commissioning of care and support services
• work closely with the 22 local authorities in Wales, equally involving people who use social care services and their carers, the social care workforce, relevant professional bodies, and other key partners and stakeholders

The National Office will also be expected to align with and wherever applicable input to relevant cross-system work including:

• Programme for Government commitments
• Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, reporting annually to the Chief Social Care Officer how:
  • it is using the 5 ways of working
  • it is contributing to achieving the 7 wellbeing goals
  • its approach will progress year on year
• meeting legal duties under the Welsh Language Standards, the National Office will develop the important role it plays in supporting Welsh language and culture

Email

NationalOffice@gov.wales

Post

National Office for Care and Support
Social Services and Integration Directorate
Health, Social Care and Early Years Group
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

This mandate sets out the role, ways of working, and functions to deliver the expectations for the National Office for Care and Support, as set by the Chief Social Care Officer.

It is acknowledged that 2024 to 2025 will be a transitional year for the National Office for Care and Support (National Office), with the opportunity to establish the right mechanisms and ways of working needed to realise its full benefit.

The role and function of the National Office will initially centre on 3 core areas, as consulted on as part of the rebalancing care and support programme consultation in 2023. These are:

• supporting the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales in their role
• development, implementation, and ongoing delivery of the National Care Service for Wales
• implementation and ongoing management of the national commissioning framework for care and support in Wales

The core value statement of the National Office is:

To provide a central guiding hand to the sector through driving improvement in the national delivery of social care in Wales to achieve collaboration, better and more equitable outcomes, access, and service-user experience.

The 2024 to 2025 mandate specifically covers phase 1 of the National Care Service initial implementation plan, the engagement elements relating to the Chief Social Care Officer’s role, and the implementation of the rebalancing programme, namely the National Framework for Commissioning Care and Support.

Whilst the National Office will encompass the functions of the Chief Social Care Officer’s current office, the National Office will be a distinctly different entity to policy teams which will continue to sit under the Chief Social Care Officer in their role as director for policy within the social services and integration directorate.

The establishment of an outward facing National Office will enable a focus on innovation, improvement, and transformation of adult and children’s services. It will build on progress already made in improving collation of social care data, developing a clearer picture of the delivery of services, and supporting the Chief Social Care Officer in championing a stronger voice for the sector.

Working as part of Welsh Government, the National Office will: 

• provide strong national leadership and strategic direction within the spirit of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• support and enable delivery of national priorities and standards, particularly in relation to commissioning of care and support services
• work closely with the 22 local authorities in Wales and the NHS, equally involving people who use social care services and their carers, the social care workforce, relevant professional bodies, and other key partners and stakeholders
• meet legal duties under the Welsh Language Standards, the National Office will develop the important role it plays in supporting Welsh language and culture
• input to and support the delivery of Programme for Government commitments

The National Office will play an essential role in the integration of health and social care, working closely with the NHS Wales executive to ensure Wales’ health and social care systems fit for the future and achieving a healthier Wales vision of a whole-system approach to providing excellent health and social care across Wales.

The National Office will work to and promote the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, improving the social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of Wales. It will:

• promote improved working with people, communities and partners
• look to prevent problems
• take a more joined-up approach

The Act includes a sustainable development principle and the sustainability of social care and support services is therefore paramount. We intend the National Office should act in a manner which seeks to ensure that better meeting the care and support needs of the present also enhances the prospects of generations to follow.

The National Office will also embed meaningful national changes and values through the promotion of:

• the Anti-racist Wales action plan
• LGBTQ+ action plan
• the strategic framework for Welsh language more than just words 2022 to 2027
• will be alert to the net zero target for the public sector, promoting decarbonisation action plans and social value by way of achieving this

Benefit realisation

The mandate outlines the expectation of the National Office in the context of the added benefit it will bring to deliver against those expectations. The below benefit parameters provide clarity on what benefits the expectations will deliver.

A central resource for the social care sector in Wales

The National Office will offer a "bird’s eye view" of the sector and be a central resource that the sector can turn to for issue resolution and support. The National Office will also support national policy direction from within Welsh Government.

A sustainable learning and support environment

The National Office will create an environment conducive to system learning across the social care to enable the desired outcomes of the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014 to be realised. It will champion best practice and support local innovation.

A driver of national principles and standards

Leading on a robust learning loop across the social care system, the National Office will be key in supporting organisations in driving standards and improving outcomes in relation to their statutory responsibilities.

The National Office will also oversee implementation and ongoing management of the code of practice for the national framework for commissioning care and support:

• ensuring compliance with national commissioning principles and standards
• supporting commissioners and providers through the provision of a toolkit

A centre for data collection and reporting to drive improvement

The National Office will take on an enhanced role in data collection and reporting, turning this into intelligence which can be used in early identification of risks within the sector and to drive improvement. This will support and operate in tandem with Care Inspectorate Wales' regulatory functions and market intelligence role.

A stronger national approach

The National Office will support the Chief Social Care Officer in providing strategic national leadership for the social care sector in Wales, bringing the sector together and partnering to deliver results. Citizen engagement will play a key role in this, with plans to set up a formal mechanism for ongoing engagement with service users.

The National Office will play an instrumental role in the ongoing developing of the National Care Service in Wales. The National Office will, in its transitionary year, be responsible for the initial implementation plan, and taking forward each of the 3 phases for the National Care Services over a 10 year period.

As the National Office matures, its remit will inevitably adapt to system pressures and evolving needs of the sector. The above benefits may therefore inevitably change over time and will be reviewed annually.

Organisational development and culture

To deliver its aims and expectations, the National Office will develop its people to ensure effective capacity and ways of working, therefore enabling its workforce to achieve the core value statement of the National Office.

Internal development opportunities will include learning from effective practice across Wales, and elsewhere in the UK, and expanding understanding more generally of approaches that lead to the most effective systems leadership with an emphasis on quality, safety, and performance in the context of compassionate leadership.

The National Office will enable those working with and within the new staffing structure within Welsh Government to:

• have the opportunity to build, share and collaborate on the existing areas of good practice
• develop common language and shared understanding of improved ways of working
• develop a shared vision for the culture, values, and behaviours to achieve its purpose

Working in collaboration and partnership with policy colleagues across Welsh Government will be key, and colleagues working in the National Office will be encouraged to build strong working relationships.

To develop and support individuals and teams, organisational, team and individual learning and development will be actively encouraged and supported. Line managers will work with their teams to identify areas of strength and development to guide programmes of learning.

The National Office will encourage Welsh speakers and learners to use their Welsh, creating a culture where the Welsh language thrives, and all staff, regardless of ability, will be encouraged to use Welsh in their daily activities.

The National Office will champion inclusive practices, with a focus on diversity and equality. In doing so, the National Office will align with the:

• Welsh Government workforce equality, diversity and inclusion strategy 2021 to 2026
• Welsh Government action plans such as the Anti-racist Wales action plan and the LGBTQ+ action plan
• social model of disability in all aspects of work

The National Office will operate within Welsh Government people and places policies. Our core working model will be "smart working". Welsh Government’s executive committee (ExCo) statement below reflects the meaning of "smart working":

Our highest priority as a civil service is delivering the Programme for Government so that we can make life better for people and communities in Wales as quickly as possible. We believe that what we achieve is more important than where we do our work. Different work calls for different environments where we can connect, collaborate and concentrate. "Smart working" is about working flexibly in ways that help us deliver our priorities as effectively as possible.

There are 6 core principles of "smart working", each will be central to the ways of working for the National Office for Care and Support.

Productivity

We will work to individuals’ strengths and choices, balancing the needs of the team, business priorities and requirements of individuals roles. We will review our "smart working" team charter at least annually to agree how we’ll deliver our priorities and commitments as a team. 

Wellbeing

We’ll meet regularly as a team throughout the year to make sure we are clear on our shared goals and are working effectively together. This will also be a chance to support the team and individual wellbeing. We will encourage use of the "wellbeing hour" and signpost to support on offer where appropriate.

Community

Virtual meetings will remain our default, in accordance with hybrid working. Where appropriate and meaningful, we will come together as a team for "anchor days" to reflect, connect and look ahead. 

Where appropriate and possible, we will work within the wider community we serve, actively engaging with the people of Wales. 

Connection

Our "smart working" charters will reflect our individual working arrangements, considering individual needs and contractual working arrangements. In addition to regular team catch-ups, we will schedule regular conversations with our line managers to review our priorities, delivery, development, strengths, and wellbeing.

Safety

We will maintain awareness of and compliance with the public health position in Wales and beyond, ensuring we work safely wherever we are working from.

Carbon and cost reduction

We will consider our environmental impact, and travel only where necessary and meaningful. 

We will consider value for money as part of our day-to-day working and support the organisation through financial pressures.

Funding and business planning

The National Office will ensure it operates at optimal effectiveness and efficiency and provides value for money. The National Office will plan to use its allocated resources in an affordable and sustainable manner, and within agreed limits, in accordance with Welsh Government policies and procedures. Whilst in its transitional year, the National Office will pilot various ways of working to find the most efficient way forward as the National Office matures.

Structure and governance

Structure

The National Office will be resourced by Welsh Government civil servants. It will be led by the Head of the National Office, reporting to the Chief Social Care Officer.

Any recruitment made to the National Office will be in accordance with Welsh Government policies and the civil service commission recruitment principles. 

The following teams will form the National Office:

• the Office of the Chief Social Care Officer
• national commissioning 
• national care service programme and delivery
• National Office operational delivery 
• data analysis
• paying for care

Internal governance

The National Office for Care and Support, staffed by Welsh Government officials (civil servants), will have executive accountability to the Director General of the Health, Social Care and Early Years Group through the Chief Social Care Officer, and to Welsh Government ministers for political accountability. 

Welsh Government officials are required, as civil servants, to provide assurance to the senior responsible officer regarding risk, systems, and performance. 

An annual programme of work will be set in readiness for a new year’s term beginning each April. The Chief Social Care Officer will advise ministers on this for their agreement, where it will then be subject to scrutiny by the external Strategic Advisory Group. Engagement with citizens will also be a key mechanism for challenge, consultation, and communication, with plans to set up a forum of citizens and service-users.

An annual report will, each following March, be prepared by the head of the National Office to the Chief Social Care Officer, to outline:

• annual activities and workstream progress within the National Office
• how the National Office is aligning with, and wherever applicable, inputting to relevant cross-system work
• a review of benefit parameters

External governance

An external Strategic Advisory Group will be established in readiness for the National Office’s formal launch on 1 April 2024 to ensure robust governance arrangements. 

The main role of the National Office for Care and Support Strategic Advisory Group will be to assist the Welsh Government’s internal National Office for Care and Support, through supporting the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales in delivering functions on behalf of Welsh Government ministers.

Members of the Strategic Advisory Group will offer strategic advice and constructive challenge to the National Office for Care and Support. The Group will have no decision-making authority.

Reporting to the Chief Social Care Officer, the role of the National Office for Care and Support Strategic Advisory Group will be to: 

• champion proposals which help deliver National Office priorities providing consistent messages which support the Chief Social Care Officer to delivery of the National Office’s functions and responsibilities
• support the Chief Social Care Officer to scrutinise the National Office’s annual programme of work and make informed strategic decisions
• support the Chief Social Care Officer in providing an informed voice for the sector and beyond, and to support engagement with stakeholders and service-users across the sector
• act as a point of escalation and resolution for significant risks and issues that may impact on delivery of key National Office functions and responsibilities, the strategic stakeholder group will also support the early identification and management of risks
• ensure adherence to agreed corporate policies, strategies, and standards, including sharing information across the sector aimed to improve performance and promote good governance
• make recommendations to the Chief Social Care Officer on the membership of the Strategic Advisory Group to ensure a varied and informed voice of the sector and service-users input into discussions
• consider forward planning activity aligned to wider ongoing work across the relevant social care and integration Programme for Government commitments, ensuring discussion and decisions happen within the appropriate timeframe
• ensure awareness of and alignment of activities to other relevant strategic Welsh Government programme boards, relevant workstreams under a healthier Wales and statutory commitments, which will help to ensure alignment of broader activities across health and social care sectors, avoiding unnecessary duplication

The Group will put forward workstream leads as appropriate, to liaise with and support delivery of appointed task and finish groups and programme-specific boards. In 2024 to 2025 this will mainly be centred on a programme board for the implementation of the National Care Service in Wales.