A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales said that the approach to caring for older people needed to be re-examined. It called for a further reduction in the use of residential care as a default choice, and a shift in services towards more community-based options.
Source: Residential Care for Older People in Wales, Health and Social Care Committee, National Assembly for Wales
Links: Report | NAW press release | Alzheimers Society press release | OPCW press release | WLGA press release | WalesOnline report
Date: 2012-Dec
A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales made a series of recommendations for improving adoption services.
Source: Inquiry into Adoption, Children and Young People Committee, National Assembly for Wales
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Nov
A study reviewed the health system in Wales. Wales faced a period of financial retrenchment greater than in other parts of the United Kingdom as a result of the Welsh Government's decision not to afford the same degree of protection to health spending as that granted elsewhere. The health system in Wales continued to face some structural weaknesses that had proved resistant to reform for some time. However, there had been substantial improvement in service quality and outcomes since the end of the 1990s, in large part facilitated by substantial real growth in health spending. Life expectancy had continued to increase: but health inequalities had proved stubbornly resistant to improvement.
Source: Marcus Longley, Neil Riley, Paul Davies, and Cristina Hernandes-Quevedo, United Kingdom (Wales): Health System Review, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Nov
The Welsh Government published a 10-year strategy for mental health. The was designed to improve the outcomes for users of mental health services, their carers, and their families, as well as the well-being and resilience of the wider population.
Source: Together for Mental Health: A strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales, Welsh Government
Links: Strategy | Welsh Government press release | Hafal press release | MHF press release | BBC report
Date: 2012-Oct
The Welsh Government began consultation on the future development of Community Health Councils, following a review.
Source: Patients' Voice for Wales: Proposals following the review of Community Health Councils, Welsh Government | Marcus Longley, Mark Llewellyn, and Amy Simpson, Moving Towards World Class? A review of Community Health Councils in Wales, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care (University of Glamorgan)
Links: Consultation document | NHS Wales press release | Review report | BBC report
Date: 2012-Oct
The older people's watchdog for Wales said that there had been an improvement in how seriously the National Health Service and Welsh Government were taking the issue of dignity in care for older people in hospital: but there was no evidence yet of a significant improvement in the quality of care and patient experience.
Source: Dignified Care? One Year On – The experiences of older people in hospital in Wales, Older People s Commission for Wales
Links: Report | OPCW press release | Age Cymru press release | BBC report
Date: 2012-Oct
The older people's watchdog for Wales said that the majority of older people receiving home care in Wales, around 80 per cent, reported being very positive about the care that they received. But a sizeable minority, 20 per cent, said that good quality care was inconsistent or even non-existent.
Source: My Home, My Care, My Voice: Older people's experiences of home care in Wales, Older People's Commission for Wales
Links: Report | OPCW press release | UKHCA press release
Date: 2012-Sep
An audit report in Wales said that the educational attainment of looked-after children and young people was improving slowly: but there was too much variation in attainment, inconsistent support, and a lack of clearly defined outcomes against which progress could be assessed.
Source: The Educational Attainment of Looked after Children and Young People, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release
Date: 2012-Aug
A report said that older people in Wales were missing out on the essential services they needed to recover after a stay in hospital because of confusion around what constituted reablement services.
Source: Ed Bridges and Vicki James, Getting Back on Your Feet: Reablement in Wales, WRVS
Links: Report | WRVS press release | BBC report
Date: 2012-Aug
The Welsh Government began consultation on how the National Health Service, the public, and the government itself could work better together on improving health and health services. It asked for submissions on how services could be improved; how the NHS could improve the way it worked with communities and individuals; and how people could be better helped to manage their own health and health problems. It also raised questions about whether people might do more to help themselves – for example, quitting smoking or eating more healthily.
Source: The People s NHS: A consultation document on creating a compact with the people of Wales in relation to their health and health services, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2012-Aug
An audit report in Wales said that in Session 2011–12 National Health Service bodies had again reported significant cost savings, and that the Welsh Government had sought to put health finances on a more sustainable footing. There were positive signs for long-term reform to address unprecedented future financial challenges: but short-term funding gaps remained a concern.
Source: Health Finances, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release | Plaid Cymru press release | Welsh Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2012-Jul
An audit report said that there were 'considerable variations' in the delivery of healthcare across the four nations of the United Kingdom, in areas such as health outcomes, spending, staffing, and quality.
Source: Healthcare Across the UK: A comparison of the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, HC 192 (Session 2012-13), National Audit Office, TSO
Links: Report | NAO press release | Public Finance report | Telegraph report
Date: 2012-Jun
A report outlined some of the ways in which the National Health Service in Wales needed to adapt in order to become genuinely patient-centred.
Source: Jan Davies, Bernadette Fuge, Abigail Harris, Peter Barrett-Lee, and Jon Matthias, Person Driven Care: A study of The Esther Network in Sweden and the lessons that can be applied to enable NHS Wales to become a patient-centred healthcare system, 1000 Lives Plus
Links: Report | NHS Wales press release
Date: 2012-May
The Welsh Government began consultation on a strategy for promoting mental health and well-being.
Source: Together for Mental Health: A cross-government strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | BBC report
Date: 2012-May
A study (in three parts) examined the optimal number, size, and distribution of hospital services in Wales. It said that there was a strong case for re-configuring some hospital services. This had a positive aspect (patient outcomes could be improved) and a negative aspect (some services would collapse because of shortages of key staff) if changes were not made proactively. Although these problems had been developing over time, the need for change had become urgent in some key specialties, as levels of medical staffing became acute.
Source: Katie Norton, Marcus Longley, and Michael Ponton (with Amy Simpson and Susan Kimani), The Best Configuration of Hospital Services for Wales: A review of the evidence – Quality and Safety, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care (University of Glamorgan) | Michael Ponton, Marcus Longley, and Katie Norton (with Amy Simpson and Susan Kimani), The Best Configuration of Hospital Services for Wales: A review of the evidence – The Workforce, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care | Katie Norton, Marcus Longley, and Michael Ponton (with Amy Simpson and Susan Kimani), The Best Configuration of Hospital Services for Wales: A review of the evidence – Access, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care
Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | Report (3) | Summary | WLGA press release
Date: 2012-May
A think-tank report called for the National Health Service in Wales to take a radically different course from that in prospect in England. Consultant private practice and family doctors' role as independent contractors should both be ended, as these arrangements put private profit ahead of patients' interests. The NHS needed to became a comprehensive service, fulfilling the original vision of a service from 'cradle to grave' rather than being limited to demand-led clinical medicine.
Source: Julian Tudor Hart, A New Path Entirely: How NHS Wales could lead the world, Bevan Foundation
Links: Report | Bevan Foundation press release | BBC report
Date: 2012-Apr
The older people's watchdog for Wales called on the Welsh Government to review and update official guidance in order to offer greater protection for residents of care homes that were at risk of closure. Existing guidance did not set out clearly enough what older people and their relatives could expect to experience in certain situations, often leaving them feeling isolated and ill-informed, with no-one to turn to for support.
Source: Report to the First Minister Concerning the Welsh Government Guidance Escalating Concerns with, and Closures of, Care Homes Providing Services for Adults , Older People s Commission for Wales
Links: Report | OPCW press release
Date: 2012-Mar
The Welsh Government began consultation on proposals designed to reform social services, including giving people more control over the care they received, and increased rights to assessments of their needs.
Source: Social Services (Wales) Bill: Consultation Document, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | Welsh Government press release | WRVS press release | Community Care report
Date: 2012-Mar
The children's rights watchdog in Wales said that some of the most vulnerable children and young people were unaware of their statutory right to an independent professional 'voice', due to a system that lacked a clear set of checks and balances.
Source: Missing Voices: A review of independent professional advocacy services for looked after children and young people, care leavers and children in need in Wales, Children's Commissioner for Wales
Links: Report | CCW press release
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined post-devolution developments in health policy. Despite some noticeable differences in policy rhetoric, approaches to both healthcare provision and tackling public health problems remained similar in all four countries of the United Kingdom.
Source: Katherine Smith and Mark Hellowell, 'Beyond rhetorical differences: a cohesive account of post-devolution developments in UK health policy', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Feb
An article examined the impact of devolution on the development and implementation of policies related to patient choice in healthcare. 'Distinct rhetorical differences' were identifiable at a national policy level: but these were less visible at the level of service organization and in the way choices were provided to patients.
Source: Stephen Peckham, Nicholas Mays, David Hughes, Marie Sanderson, Pauline Allen, Lindsay Prior, Vikki Entwistle, Andrew Thompson, and Huw Davies, 'Devolution and patient choice: policy rhetoric versus experience in practice', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Feb
The Welsh Government began consultation on proposals to replace the serious case review system with 'child practice reviews'. Under the proposed framework, the type of review undertaken would depend on the incident and circumstances of the child.
Source: Protecting Children in Wales: Arrangements for Multi-Agency Child Practice Reviews – Draft guidance, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2012-Jan
A joint inspectorate report said that health and social care services in Wales needed to improve joint working with other partners in order to shift the focus of care to health promotion, prevention, well-being, and empowerment for older people.
Source: Growing Old My Way: Review of the impact of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People in Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales/Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
Links: Report | Inspectorate press release
Date: 2012-Jan
