“Given the significant concerns that we both share about the experiences of older people during the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular those living in care homes, we have agreed to work together to consider whether the Welsh Government and public bodies in Wales have met their responsibilities to uphold the human rights of older people.
“We share concerns about significant matters including examples of inappropriate blanket healthcare decisions on issues such as Do Not Attempt Resuscitation notices, the slow response by the Welsh Government to make testing widely available to care home residents and staff, and the apparent discharge of Covid-19 positive older people from hospitals into care homes.
“We are considering how we can best use our powers to scrutinise the decisions and actions that been taken during this pandemic.
“We are calling for the Welsh Government’s recently announced action plan for care homes to set out the measures it will take, working with others, to support those living and working in care homes and ensure that the rights of older people are protected and promoted.
“The rights of older people must be at the heart of action and decisions about what happens in our care homes, our wider social care system and our communities as we move forward. We hope that our scrutiny will be welcome, and that we are able to work constructively with Welsh Government and others to help ensure that the human rights of older people are protected, both now and in the future.”
Heléna Herklots CBE, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Ruth Coombs, Head of Wales, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Click here to read the joint letter sent to the Welsh Government
