Assessments To Consider Standards Of Care For Older People

New plans to introduce spot checks on Welsh hospitals in order to assess the care given to the elderly have been welcomed by a clinical negligence expert at Irwin Mitchell.

It has been confirmed that unannounced, targeted assessments will be launched to examine whether standards are improving after a report released earlier this year suggested that some NHS hospitals were failing to show respect to older patients.

Welsh health minister Lesley Griffiths has stated that the government is committed to ensuring that elderly people treated in hospitals do not suffer as a result of neglect or poor treatment.

The system of spot checks is set to be launched in the coming months.

Mandy Luckman, a Partner and clinical negligence specialist at Irwin Mitchell, said: “It is welcome to see efforts being made to actively address the issue of cases of elderly neglect and substandard care in Wales.

“The report released into elderly care in the country raised serious concerns over some services and it is good to see a reaction to it. For the sake of all of those affected by problems in the past, it is vital that NHS Trusts show they are determined to stop such issues once and for all.

“We represent both victims and the families of those affected by these kind of problems and have seen the devastating impact that neglect has on vulnerable members of society.

“The plans of the Welsh government are a strong sign that authorities want to learn lessons from the past and guarantee that patients of all ages get the best possible treatment.”

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of hospital negligence, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.