Commissioner demands change to the treatment of older people
The treatment of some older people in Welsh hospitals is “shamefully inadequate” according to Ruth Marks, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, in a major report into her review of the experiences of older people in hospital in Wales.
The Commissioner calls for ‘fundamental change’ to ensure that older people are always treated with dignity and respect when they are in hospital. She also reminds health organisations of the legal powers invested in the Older People’s Commissioner to effect necessary change.
A Panel of Inquiry found examples of poor practice, including not helping someone to go to the toilet, ignoring people’s privacy and not communicating well with patients. They also found that older people have very low expectations of what to expect in terms of dignity and respect in hospital.
The report, entitled ‘Dignified Care?’ details a series of recommendations, including the need to change the culture of caring for older people in Welsh hospitals by:
1. Empowering ward managers to run their wards in a way that enhances dignity and respect
2. Equipping staff to support people with dementia
3. Prioritising continence care
4. Ensuring consultations between patients and clinical staff are held in private
Other recommendations include creating the sort of hospital environment which promotes greater dignity and respect and looking at whether there are sufficient numbers of the right kinds of staff to care properly for older people in Wales.
The Health Boards and Trust covered under the Review now have three months to respond to the recommendations. Using the Commissioner’s legal powers, the organisations subject to recommendations in the report are required to respond in writing by 14 June 2011.
To visit the website of the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, visit http://www.olderpeoplewales.com/
