Social services directors in Wales have been told to improve their collaboration between councils and health partners, says the Welsh deputy minister for social services. Gwenda Thomas gave a speech to the Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru's annual policy seminar last week, which called for a vital collaboration between the councils and social services directors to maintain their services during this time.

Ms Thomas said: "I am convinced that without collaboration, public services in the current climate will not be able to meet the needs of citizens and protect frontline services."

There are currently 22 councils in Wales, to accommodate its population of three million people, and it is important that they work together if they do not want to see vast cuts. The speech included ways in which councils could resolve the challenges of meeting increased demand for social care, which is driven by the ageing population during an expected downturn in public spending in the years to come.

Chief executive of care provider umbrella body, Care Forum Wales, Mario Kreft said: "It's the last chance saloon for councils. My personal view is that if councils don't work together it will not be many years before there's another reorganisation of local government."

The recent reforms between the Welsh government and the NHS have created new health boards responsible for all NHS services in each locality. Ms Thomas focused her speech more on partnerships between the NHS and councils, saying the Welsh government's recent reforms to the NHS were a 'window of opportunity' to embed partnership working.