A paper described a literature review of what was known about the health impact of previous recessions and their aftermaths, and a qualitative case study of perceived existing and potential health impacts on relevant statutory and voluntary services in two contrasting local authority areas in Wales.
Source: Eva Elliott, Emily Harrop, Heather Rothwell, Michael Shepherd and Gareth Williams, The Impact of the Economic Downturn on Health in Wales: A review and case study, Working Paper 134, School of Social Sciences/Cardiff University
Links: Paper | Cardiff University press release
Date: 2010-Dec
The report was published of an independent government-commissioned review (chaired by Geoffrey Pearson) on the future of social services in Wales. It recommended that Wales should create national eligibility criteria for adult care services to end the 'postcode lottery' for service users, along with the introduction of standardized contracts between service providers and local authorities.
Source: Independent Commission on Social Services in Wales, From Vision to Action, Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Report | WAG press release | Care Forum Wales press release | UKHCA press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Nov
The Welsh Assembly Government published an action plan for the promotion of positive sexual health and well-being and the delivery of sexual health services.
Source: Sexual Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for Wales, 2010-2015, Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Action plan | WAG press release
Date: 2010-Nov
An audit report in Wales said that 'little progress' had been made in improving the planning and delivery of housing services for people with mental health needs. Strategic planning remained of poor quality; and joint planning between local health, social care, and housing service providers was not always effective. The Assembly Government's monitoring of the delivery of its housing targets had also been ineffective.
Source: Housing Services for Adults with Mental Health Needs, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release | NHS Wales press release | BBC report | Public Finance report
Date: 2010-Nov
A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales said that there was too much confusion and a lack of information surrounding the role of bodies set up to help protect children in Wales. The role of Local Safeguarding Children Boards was not clearly understood, differed between different areas, and was sometimes unknown even to those working for agencies represented on the boards.
Source: Inquiry into Local Safeguarding Children Boards in Wales, Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee/National Assembly for Wales
Links: Report | WAG press release
Date: 2010-Nov
A report said that alcohol consumption in Wales had risen 'massively' in recent decades, with many people drinking well beyond the recommended guidelines. It recommended a minimum price of 50p per unit for all alcoholic drinks, wherever sold; clear display of he number of units of each drink; giving local authorities more power to refuse alcohol licenses; and devolving powers over the licensing and pricing of alcohol to the National Assembly for Wales.
Source: Andrew Misell, A Drinking Nation? Wales and alcohol, Alcohol Concern Cymru
Links: Report | Alcohol Concern press release | BBC report
Date: 2010-Nov
A survey found that young people in Wales often had negative attitudes towards those who displayed suicidal thoughts or actions.
Source: Welsh Youth Consultation on Suicide and Help Seeking Behaviours, Mind Cymru
Links: Report | Mind press release | BBC report
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined intergovernmental relations and health policy in the wake of devolution. It identified 'bottom-up' issues, in which health policy divergence created intergovernmental friction, and 'top-down' issues, in which broader conflicts affected health. Mechanisms of co-ordination and dispute resolution were 'probably inadequate' for managing conflict.
Source: Scott Greer and Alan Trench, 'Intergovernmental relations and health in Great Britain after devolution', Policy & Politics, Volume 38 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the carers strategy in Wales. It highlighted a gap between the positive perceptions of staff concerning improvements in the availability and types of support to carers, and carers' everyday experiences. There was a need to pay closer attention to carer-defined outcomes and to capture carer perspectives on the quality of services.
Source: Diane Seddon et al., 'A study of the Carers Strategy (2000): supporting carers in Wales', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Jul
The evidence base was published for a five-year strategy for the National Health Service in Wales.
Source: Delivering a Five-Year Service, Workforce and Financial Strategic Framework for NHS Wales, NHS Wales
Links: Report | NHS Wales press release
Date: 2010-Jun
A report examined Welsh policy responses to a rapidly ageing society.
Source: John Osmond, Adding Life to Years: Welsh policy approaches to ageing, Institute of Welsh Affairs
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Jun
The Welsh Assembly Government outlined proposals to improve the assessment and treatment of people with mental health problems.
Source: Proposed Mental Health (Wales) Measure, Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Measure | Explanatory notes | Hafal press release
Date: 2010-Mar
An article examined whether there were differences between the constituent countries of the United Kingdom in the relationship between self-reported health and subsequent mortality.
Source: Harriet Young, Emily Grundy, Dermot O'Reilly and Paul Boyle, 'Self-rated health and mortality in the UK: results from the first comparative analysis of the England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland Longitudinal Studies', Population Trends 139, Spring 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A report said that the overall cost of mental health problems in Wales was £7.2 billion per year. It called for greater investment in mental health promotion, and said that this would bring economic advantages.
Source: Lynne Friedli and Michael Parsonage, Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Mental Illness: The economic case for investment in Wales, All Wales Mental Health Promotion Network
Links: Report | Summary | NHS Wales press release | Hafal press release
Date: 2010-Mar
Two inspectorate reports examined the delivery of services for vulnerable adults in Wales. Progress had been encouraging since 2000, and the reports identified examples of notable or positive practice, as well as highlighting areas for improvement.
Source: National Inspection of Adult Protection: All Wales Overview, Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales | Safeguarding and Protecting Vulnerable Adults in Wales: A review of the arrangements in place across the Welsh National Health Service, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales
Links: CSSIW report | HIW report | Joint statement | HIW press release | WAG press release | Hafal press release
Date: 2010-Mar
An article examined a comparative study of how local actors tackled health inequalities in England, Scotland, and Wales – focusing on how health inequalities were framed for intervention by performance assessment systems. Both divergence and convergence in themes across the three countries revealed narrative patterns that drew on 'discourses rather than evidence'. The nature of national performance audit regimes appeared to play an important part in shaping these discourses, which were themselves evolving, partly in interaction with local feedback.
Source: Tim Blackman et al., 'Wicked comparisons: reflections on cross-national research about health inequalities in the UK', Evaluation: The International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, Volume 16 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government was given powers to legislate on the assessment of mental health and treatment of mental disorder, and on advocacy services relating to mental health.
Source: The National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Health and Health Services and Social Welfare) Order 2010, National Assembly for Wales/TSO
Links: Order |Explanatory memorandum | WalesOnline report | BBC report
Date: 2010-Feb
A report said that the National Health Service in England spent less on healthcare and had fewer doctors, nurses, and managers per head of population than the health services in the devolved countries (Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland): but that it was making better use of the resources it had in terms of delivering higher levels of activity, crude productivity of its staff, and lower waiting times.
Source: Sheelah Connolly, Gwyn Bevan and Nicholas Mays, Funding and Performance of Healthcare Systems in the Four Countries of the UK Before and After Devolution, Nuffield Trust
Links: Report | Summary | Nuffield Trust press release | NHS Confederation press release | BBC report | Telegraph report | Nursing Times report
Date: 2010-Jan
