Progress on dignified care for older people in Wales

In the first monitoring report following the review of older people’s experiences in hospital, the commissioner reports that she is satisfied that dignity and respect are being prioritised and action is being taken by health boards, the Velindre Trust and Welsh Government to improve patient care and patient experience.

However, the report, ‘Dignified Care?’, stresses there is little evidence of significant improvement in the quality of care and patient experience. The commissioner will now focus on working with the NHS and Welsh Government to develop better reporting and monitoring that can be used to demonstrate improvements in patient’s experience of hospital care.

‘Dignified Care?’ was published in March 2011 and contained 12 recommendations aimed at improving hospital care for older people across Wales. Local health boards, the Velindre Trust, local authorities and the Welsh Government were required to respond to the recommendations and published detailed action plans in October 2011. This monitoring report sets out the commissioner’s assessment of progress made over the past 12 months and outlines how further review will be undertaken.

You can download the report from the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales website.