Register of recommendations and further action taken

Commissioner sets out initial response to public bodies on “Dignified Care?” Review

Ruth Marks, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has considered the initial responses from the Health Boards, the Trust and the Welsh Government to her “Dignified Care?” Review. All the bodies subject to the review responded by the deadline and there has been much that is encouraging in these responses. However, more needs to be done to show that the recommendations will be met in full. Bodies will have one month to respond to the Commissioner’s request for more information in order to persuade her that they will fully comply with her recommendations.

Ruth Marks commented “I welcome the positive response there has been to my Review and its call for change. I want to acknowledge the work which has been done to address my recommendations, and have been glad to see some very good responses. The bodies subject to Review have recognised the issues I set out and begun to address them. I now want to see them build on many of the answers they have given. I want my Review to make sure older people are treated well and with dignity when they stay in hospital. All the recommendations are central to achieving this, which is why it is so important that the bodies persuade me that change will happen.

“I have written to all the Health Boards, the Trust and the Welsh Government setting out which responses adequately address my recommendations and which must be improved.

“Once bodies persuade me that they will meet my recommendations, I will work with others to monitor whether or not they are doing so in practice.”