The government announced its intention to legislate for the establishment of an older people's commissioner in Wales by 2007.
Source: Press release 7 December 2004, Wales Office (wales.office@walesoffice.gsi.gov.uk)
Links: Wales Office press release | WAG press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Dec
The annual report for 2003-2004 was published by the Chief Inspector for the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales. It said that although the performance measures showed a general improvement, progress was slow in some places and more 'drive' should be given to improve the lives of vulnerable children and adults.
Source: Social Services in Wales 2003-2004, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Dec
Provisional results were published of a major survey designed to track changes in the health of people in Wales. Topics covered were illness, health status, health service use, and health-related lifestyle. A limiting long-term illness was reported by 28 per cent of adults and 5 per cent of children.
Source: Welsh Health Survey: October 2003-March 2004 (provisional results), Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5050)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Nov
The Welsh Assembly government began consultation on a common framework of healthcare standards to support the National Health Service and partner organizations in providing effective, timely and quality services across all healthcare settings.
Source: A Statement of Healthcare Standards: Standards for NHS care and treatment in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Nov
The Welsh Assembly government began consultation on a national service framework for children, young people and maternity services. The framework set out a 10-year vision for developing high quality services and reducing inequalities in service delivery. It set standards for health and social services, as well as other areas that had an impact on the health and well-being of children and young people - including, education, housing, leisure and transport.
Source: National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 3657)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Consultation document (pdf links) | Wales NHS press release
Date: 2004-Oct
A report said that greater integration of health and social services - one of the major policies of devolution - had failed to deliver better health for the population of Wales.
Source: Colin Talbot, Carole Johnson and Mark Freestone, Is Devolution Creating Diversity in Education and Health?, Nottingham Policy Centre/University of Nottingham (0115 846 7439)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2004-Aug
A report sought to provide scientific advice on implementation issues arising out of a review of the allocation of resources to local health boards in Wales. In particular, it examined whether specific urban and rural factors resulted in unavoidable additional costs when providing health services in such areas, and whether the resource allocation formula should be adjusted accordingly.
Source: David Gordon et al., Targeting Poor Health: Review of rural and urban factors affecting the costs of health services and other implementation issues, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
The social services inspectorate in Wales said that most disabled people s experience of social services was positive: but there was considerable room for improvement.
Source: Inspection of Services for People with a Physical or Sensory Impairment, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Jul
The social services inspectorate in Wales published a report on local authority children's services in the wake of the Climbi case. It said that a great deal of work was being done to improve performance and to highlight areas of practice where further improvement was needed.
Source: Children in Need: The local authority response to the Victoria Climbi Inquiry, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release | WLGA press release | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jul
A briefing paper said that people with asthma were more than twice as likely to live in damp houses; and that children had a greater prevalence of respiratory symptoms, as well as headaches and fevers, compared to children in dry houses.
Source: Housing and the Asthma Epidemic in Wales, Shelter Cymru (01792 469400)
Links: Report (pdf) | Shelter press release | BBC report
Date: 2004-Jul
A report examined the communication needs of patients detained in Wales under the Mental Health Act 1983, and how well the relevant agencies responded to them.
Source: Chris Perring and Catherine McQuade, Expression of Choice: The communication needs of patients detained in Wales under the Mental Health Act (1983), Mental Health Act Commission (0115 943 7100)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Jun
An Audit Commission report called for radical reform of health services in Wales, in spite of a recent improvement in waiting list figures. It identified various weaknesses in National Health Service management, including failures to implement action plans, remedial actions that did not address causes, and lack of 'pro-activity'.
Source: Transforming Health and Social Care in Wales: Aligning the levers of change, Audit Commission for Wales (029 2026 2550)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ACW press release (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-May
A report by the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales revealed a high level of concern about the way in which some councils were carrying out their work to safeguard vulnerable children.
Source: Inspection of Child Protection Services: Overview report, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release | WLGA press release
Date: 2004-Apr
A report on the NHS in Wales said that in 2002-03 it was 37 million in deficit, compared to a 16 million deficit for the previous year.
Source: The Finances of NHS Wales 2004, National Audit Office Wales, TSO (029 2039 5548)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
The Welsh Assembly decided to merge its health and social care departments. The new structure included directorates dealing with policy for older people and long-term care, and for children and families.
Source: Community Care report
Date: 2004-Mar
The healthcare inspectorate said that National Health Service organisations in Wales were making progress towards ensuring all children who were at risk of abuse or neglect were identified, and appropriate action taken. However, there was still work to be done to ensure no children 'slipped through the gaps'.
Source: Protecting Children and Young People: Results of a self assessment audit of NHS organisations in Wales, Commission for Health Improvement (020 7448 9200)
Links: Report (pdf) | CHI press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Mar
A report identified the different approaches in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to various combinations of markets, local communities, professionals and managers as models for the National Health Service.
Source: Scott Greer, Four Way Bet: How devolution has led to four different models for the NHS, Constitution Unit/University of London, available from Imprint Academic (01392 841600)
Links: Constitution Unit press release
Date: 2004-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government responded to a report which had raised concerns about the financial state of the National Health Service in Wales. It said it had taken action to eradicate financial deficits by March 2006.
Source: The Finance of NHS Wales 2003: Assembly Government response to the report of the Audit Committee, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Response (Word file)
Date: 2004-Jan
