Have your say on residential care for older people

31 October 2011

The National Assembly for Wales’s Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry into residential care for older people and is calling for evidence from interested individuals and organisations.

The Committee’s inquiry will examine the provision of residential care for older people in Wales and the way in which it can meet their current and future needs.

It will look at the process by which older people enter residential care and the availability of alternative services that could prevent them needing to do so.

The Committee is also interested in the capacity of the residential care sector to meet the demand for services from older people, in terms of staffing, numbers of places and facilities.

The inquiry will also take into account the quality of residential care and the management of care home closures.

Committee Chair, Mark Drakeford AM, said: “This will be an important inquiry and we hope to hear from service users, their families and professional organisations about all aspects of residential care; from the pathways through which it is entered to how effectively services are meeting diverse needs and how they are regulated and inspected.

“As a Committee, we’re very interested in getting a picture of how a future model of care might look, taking into account new and emerging models of care provision and the balance of public and independent sector provision.

“Old age is something which will come to almost all of us and the provision of good quality care can be an emotive issue. Our inquiry aims to develop a better understanding of both demand for, and supply of, residential care services, and to help plan more effectively for the future.

“We urge as many people as possible to get in touch and have their say on this important issue.”

The full terms of reference for the inquiry can be found here. Evidence can be submitted via email: HSCCommittee@wales.gov.uk or by post: Clerk to the Health and Social Care Committee, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.

More information on the Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee, including membership and past inquiries, can be found here.