Briefing: Commissioner s Work Programme

Transcription

1 Briefing: Commissioner s Work Programme Work Programme Briefing The Commissioner has developed her Work Programme based on the priorities set out within her Framework for Action: Embedding the wellbeing of older people at the heart of public services Driving up the quality of - and availability and access to - health and social care Protecting and improving community services, facilities and infrastructure Standing up for older people who are at risk of harm and ensuring that they are safeguarded and protected Tackling prejudice, inequality and discrimination Details of the work planned during are outlined below. Care Home Review Follow-up When the Commissioner published her Care Home Review report, she was clear that she would undertake a specific programme of follow-up work to ensure that they had delivered upon their commitments, with a particular focus on any areas where further work was needed to deliver the outcomes for older people included within the report. Information requested about the progress made against 14 of the Commissioner s Requirements for Action will be analysed and a report will be published in November that will set out the change that has been delivered and the good practice now underway as a result of the review. The report will also highlight any areas in which additional work is needed to deliver the change that older people living in care homes across Wales want and need to see. 1

2 Safeguarding Older People in Hospital The Commissioner will review the actions that Health Boards are taking to ensure that older people are safeguarded from harm in line with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act. The Commissioner will publish a report early 2018 that will provide a detailed analysis of the current situation and provide examples of good practice for that Health Boards can use to improve their safeguarding processes. Access to and Experience of Independent Professional Advocacy Information gathered through the Commissioner s casework team indicates that older people can struggle to access independent professional advocacy services, which can support them to have greater choice and control over their lives. The Commissioner is therefore looking at older people s experiences of accessing and using Independent Professional Advocacy and will publish a report and guidance setting out the current situation in Wales and where improvements could be made. Rethinking Respite Care A key area of concern identified by the Commissioner 2016 Dementia: more than just memory loss report was the lack of flexible, enabling and personalised respite care for people living with dementia and their carers. The Commissioner will therefore publish a report and toolkit for Local Authorities that will highlight the realities of current respite provision across Wales and set out how respite care should be delivered, in line with Welsh Government s Social Services and Wellbeing Outcomes Framework. Safeguarding Older People Work to raise awareness about the scale and impact of the abuse and neglect of older people will continue throughout , alongside work to promote good practice that could be rolled out more widely to ensure that older people are better protected and safeguarded. This will include a series of seminars for public services staff, which will grow knowledge and understanding to ensure they can safeguard and protect older people more effectively; ongoing engagement and work with safeguarding boards across Wales; and the publication of guidance for front-line professionals on the most effective ways to respond when an older person is being abused. 2

3 Learning from Casework The Commissioner will publish a casebook that illustrates the issues and challenges faced by the older people who contact her casework team and the action taken to resolve their issues. Following the publication of the casebook, the Commissioner will hold a series of seminars across Wales for those providing services for older people to promote good practice in service delivery and consider how cross cutting themes identified through the Commissioner s casework can be addressed. Analysis of Health Board Annual Quality Statements To ensure that older people and their families can access meaningful information about the quality of care delivered by the Health Board in their area, the Commissioner will publish a critique of Health Boards Annual Quality Statements. Following an analysis of the AQSs, detailed feedback will be provided to Health Boards to ensure that the information they provide is both relevant and accessible. Ageing Well in Wales Phase Two of the Ageing Well in Wales Programme will continue throughout , with national partners - including the Welsh Government, Local Authorities, the voluntary sector and Police and Crime Commissioners working to deliver upon a range of commitments under the five key Ageing Well themes (Age-friendly communities, dementia supportive communities, falls prevention, loneliness and isolation, opportunities for learning and employment). Work will also continue to further develop Ageing Well local networks and support local groups and individuals to take action for themselves to promote inclusion and independence, as well as maintain their own resilience, through both direct support and the further development of specialist advice and resources that can be easily accessed and used by individuals. Engaging with older people across Wales The Commissioner and her team will continue to travel the length and breadth of Wales to engage with a diverse range of older people and ensure that their voices guide and shape the Commissioner s work. The Engagement Roadshow will also allow the Commissioner to ensure that older people across Wales know about her role, work and priorities, and the ways in which she can provide them with direct support and assistance through her Casework Team. The Commissioner will also continue to engage with older people through more formal older people s groups and organisations, such as Local Authority 50+ Strategy Forums, 3

4 the National Partnership Forum, National Pensioners Convention, Cymru Older People s Alliance, Active Wales, and the Welsh Senate of Older People. Influencing Policy, Legislation and Practice In addition to the work set out above, the Commissioner will continue to influence a wide range of policy, legislation and practice, including older people s rights and the safeguarding of vulnerable older people, as well as non-health and social care related issues. This will be achieved through ongoing meetings with Welsh Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers, Assembly Members and Officials, providing responses to Welsh Government and National Assembly consultations and giving evidence to National Assembly Committees. This work will ensure that the voices and experiences of older people are considered when policies are being developed and that subsequent practice reflects their needs and delivers positive outcomes. 4

5 The Older People s Commissioner for Wales The Older People s Commissioner for Wales is an independent voice and champion for older people across Wales, standing up and speaking out on their behalf. The Commissioner and her team work to ensure that older people have a voice that is heard, that they have choice and control, that they don t feel isolated or discriminated against and that they receive the support and services that they need. The Commissioner and her team work to ensure that Wales is a good place to grow older not just for some but for everyone. How to contact the Commissioner: Older People s Commissioner for Wales Cambrian Buildings Mount Stuart Square Cardiff CF10 5FL Phone: ask@olderpeoplewales.com Website: 5