Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. This is a very broad topic, so I will keep my comments very broad. It is one of the most important topics in the health structure, and it is a key pillar. How many times have we heard that if you fix social care, you begin to fix the wider health service?

We very much support the thrust of the motion in calling for action to transform our social care system since the 'Power to People' report was published back in 2017, but we were keen to submit an amendment for the reasons that my colleague Diane Dodds outlined. It has been seven long years since the report's 16 proposals were made, but critical issues outlined in that report and others thereafter remain unresolved. The expert advisory panel sought to make the case for transforming the way that the adult care and support system operates by way of 16 proposals, including valuing the professional and strengthening the support available to carers.

Our social care system is the backbone of our society, caring for the elderly, the vulnerable and those in need. However, as the motion states, workforce shortages, limited capacity in care homes and unacceptably long delays in accessing community care packages are leaving too many of our people without the high-quality care services that they need and deserve. It is safe to say that many unpaid carers are at breaking point, with one in four describing their mental health as bad or very bad. Several reports — some refer to review fatigue — state that we cannot continue to allow those gaps to persist.

In light of the ongoing challenges, I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible contributions of our front-line staff providers in community and voluntary sector organisations, particularly those who are unpaid, to whom I have just referred.

The system is under increasing pressure, with demand continuing to rise, which is due, in part, to an ageing population. However, social care is not just about older people; it is about the young man or woman with a learning disability who needs to move from a school setting into adult services; the elderly person who needs a care package to return home; and the person with mental health issues who requires support to move into supported living.

We can all give examples of cases from our constituency offices in which we have had to intervene. No family at the point of despair should have to come to our constituency offices and beg us to intervene. One case that stands out for me is from some years ago when I was a councillor. The daughter of an elderly lady had no respite and was so stressed, so broken and so guilty for feeling the way that she did that she attempted to take her own life. The daughter ended up requiring support, which put further pressure on the health service. That is the circle of despair that I have referred to in previous debates.

I am conscious of time, but I will turn to some of the comments from the debate. The proposer of the motion, Nuala McAllister, said that it was crucial that social care was properly supported. She also said that consultations were being used as mechanisms of delay. My colleague, Diane Dodds, in proposing our amendment, said that over 600 patients had had a needless stay in hospital, which was akin to locking the doors of the Royal Victoria Hospital. She referenced the need for better working conditions for domiciliary carers. The Chair of the Health Committee, Liz Kimmins, said that the unavailability of beds was creating a bottleneck in emergency departments. She said that she had never seen the scale of the challenges that are currently in the system.

Colin McGrath highlighted how the system is in crisis and said that we need action now. Diana Armstrong, whom I very much welcome to her new role, said that the system is far from perfect and that we need to get ahead of the game. Linda Dillon said that we face the same challenges since the 'Power to People' report was commissioned and that no family should have to choose between paying for care and paying for everyday items. Kellie Armstrong talked about her personal circumstances. It adds to the quality of debate in the Chamber when we talk about our own circumstances. She talked about the fear that older people live with and how they see themselves as a burden on the health service.

I thank the Minister for his contributions. He said that he understands the frustration at the pace of reform, and we all share that. He also referenced the importance of partnership working, recruitment and retention, and I thank him for that.