OAP dignity in hospital reviewed- Wales
Ruth Marks said she had heard of "serious concerns that need to be looked at", including the use of mixed sex wards and the cleanliness of wards. It is her first review since taking up her post in April 2008. The former Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dame Deirdre Hine, will chair the review.
Ms Marks said around 40% of hospital in-patients in Wales were aged 65 or over.
She said: "I want to identify and tackle any standards of care which may exist that are simply unacceptable in 21st Century Wales."
These included the continued use of mixed-sex wards, failure to alleviate bed sores with pressure relieving mattresses, cleanliness of wards, and older people fearing recriminations if they complain, she said.
Iwan Rhys Roberts, from Age Concern Cymru and Help the Aged in Wales, welcomed the review.
He said: "It is vital that we establish why dignified care remains a problem for older people.
"The debate around dignity must continue, it cannot remain static and it should be frequently reviewed."
Sarah Stone, deputy commissioner for older people in Wales, said: "In the end it's about making things better for older people.
"There are so many people who are working within the health service who want to see things improve and I very much hope that they will see that this as a means of helping them to do that."
She said the terms of the review would be discussed with Dame Deirdre and it was aimed to report by March 2011.
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