Welsh care concerns raised.

THE Commissioner for Older People in Wales has said that she is “extremely disappointed” at the Welsh Government’s response to a call for action to protect residents in care homes.

Wales’ Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) has also come under fire for failing to provide evidence that it will deliver the results that older people need.

Commissioner, Sarah Rochira, conducted a care home review in 2014 and welcomed commitments from health boards and councils about how they will improve quality of life for residents.

She said: “I am extremely disappointed that responses from the Welsh Government and CSSIW fail to provide adequate detail, or acknowledge the change that needs to take place, to assure me that action will be taken to deliver real and positive improvements for older people in care homes.

“My review is about the lives that people lead in the place that they should call home. It is important that the requirements for action in my review report are implemented by all the bodies subject to my review.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We continue to take strong action in relation to the care of older people, including introducing significant new legislation, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill, which include a new model of service regulation and statutory standards, for residential care and a framework within which care homes must operate.”

Chief inspector for CSSIW, Imelda Richardson, said: “Every year we complete thousands of inspections and talk directly to people about their experiences of care and how it contributes to their quality of life.

“Year on year we see improvements in the care being delivered in Wales and saw a 64% reduction in the number of services considered a service of concern in 2014-15.

"Our powers will be further strengthened with the implementation of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill in 2017 and will also address a number of the concerns identified in the Flynn Review.”