The poor performance of a computer system being used to organise care in Wales has driven some staff out of Powys Council, members have heard.

In May, the council heard that the Welsh Community Care Information System was proving to be "unreliable".

The multi-million pound IT investment, supplied by the Welsh Government to fully integrate health and social care in Wales, is supposed to mean that community nurses, mental health teams, social workers and therapists can share electronic records so that they know where a patient is with their treatment.

But in Powys, it has been causing headaches for users and the council – and has now been the main cause of some staff departing the authority, a meeting heard.

Adult social care, Welsh and communications portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, told a meeting of Powys County Council’s cabinet on Tuesday, July 27: “This remains a major concern, this is something that makes it harder for people to perform well.

“This system is failing on a regular basis as people use it, Covid has not been the only thing we’re fighting against.”

The council's director of people & organisational development, Ali Bulman said: “It’s the one thing that really does causes staff pressure and impacts their morale and motivation.

“We’ve had staff that have left quoting the use of this system as one of the main reasons they are leaving.”

Ms Bulman added that a number of meetings to discuss the problems had taken place with the system provider and the WCCIS national team, Welsh Government officials and the deputy minister (Julie Morgan MS.)

While work would to fix the software would continue, Ms Bulman said that other options needed to be considered including changing systems.

“It is becoming untenable for the service,” said Ms Bulman.