Welsh health boards and local councils praised for 'strong commitments' to improve quality of life in care homes

Clear commitments to improve older people’s quality of life while living in care homes have been made by public bodies in Wales as a result of the Care Home Review undertaken by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales during 2014.

The statutory bodies, subject to the Requirements for Action, included in the Commissioner’s review report have submitted action plans that set out how the improvements will be delivered within the care home system in Wales.

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, said: “All of the bodies subject to my Review strongly welcomed its findings and I am pleased that many public bodies across Wales, who have an essential role to play in driving change within our care home system, have given strong commitments to take the action necessary to improve the quality of life of older people living in care homes across Wales. This is a significant and positive step forward.”

It has been highlighted in the review that what previously constituted as ‘acceptable’ living in care homes has now got to be changed as many residents have an unacceptable quality of life. Although this is not the case for all care homes, many are found to focus on the functional aspects of care, with a reliance on a task-based approach, rather than delivering care that is person-centred.

The review has also raised awareness on the evidence collated by the Welsh Government and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW). The overall evidence has been deemed unsatisfactory as the responses failed to provide the level of detail required to assure that they will deliver the action and associated outcomes that older people rightfully expect.

Ms Rochira added: “In my review I made very clear the impact of not taking action and the price that is paid by older people when public bodies fail to uphold people’s rights and protect them. I am therefore extremely disappointed that the responses from the Welsh Government and CSSIW in many instances failed to provide adequate detail or acknowledge the change that needs to take place to assure me that action will be taken that will deliver real and positive improvements for older people living in care homes.”

Responses from health boards and local authorities have set out how the outcomes expected by the Commissioner will be delivered, detailing a wide range of innovative work that is aimed at making a difference to the lives of older people living in care homes.

In response, the Commissioner has decided to collate additional information as part of an on-going programme of follow-up work and formal scrutiny to ensure that the outcomes set out in the review are being delivered.

Health boards and local authorities have also set out how the outcomes, expected by the Commissioner, will be delivered, detailing a wide range of innovative work that is aimed at making a difference to the lives of older people living in care homes.

At present, the Commissioner is currently analysing the responses received from care home providers and will make a statement in November that provides an overview of these responses, one year on from the publication of the Review Report.