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The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has called on First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to convene all-party talks in the Senedd to tackle the growing crisis in social care.

Jane Dodds MS said Wales cannot wait while pressures on the NHS, local councils, unpaid carers, and care providers continue to mount.

The call follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s discussions with the Lib Dems and the Conservatives to seek consensus on social care reforms in England.

Social care provision across Wales remains under strain, directly contributing to delayed hospital discharges and growing queues at emergency departments.

Local authorities continue to face rising demand for adult social care services alongside tightening budget constraints.

Ms Dodds said social care had been neglected for years, leaving vulnerable residents without necessary support and placing unsustainable pressure on families.

“Social care is one of the biggest challenges facing Wales, yet for years governments have failed to grasp the nettle,” Ms Dodds said.

“The consequences are felt every day by older people, disabled people, unpaid family carers, care workers and an NHS struggling because too many people cannot access the care they need.”

She urged the First Minister to bring party leaders together to agree a long-term strategy for funding and delivery.

Ms Dodds said: “We will never solve the crisis facing our NHS, end the scandal of patients stuck in hospital beds who are medically fit to leave, reduce ambulance queues outside A&E departments or put local council finances on a sustainable footing unless we finally grasp the challenge of social care reform.”

She added that every year of delay places further strain on hospitals, local authorities and families already at breaking point.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister’s statement rightly highlights the vital importance of social care and the challenges facing the sector.

“Our ambition is to create a National Care Service for Wales, ultimately free at the point of need. Our plans extend beyond adult social care and are focused on delivering a more sustainable, joined-up and person-centred system of care and support for people of all ages.”

The spokesperson highlighted progress made through its First 100 Days Plan, including “strengthening out-of-hospital care and reviewing Regional Partnership Board arrangements to ensure health boards, local authorities and partners work more effectively together to deliver joined-up care and support”.

They added: “These actions build on wider reforms already underway, including strengthening national leadership and consistency through the National Office for Care and Support, and supporting fair pay and sustainable models of care.”