Plenary Speech Transcript
In the next 10 years the number of people aged 65 or over in Wales will increase by 5%. That is an extra 130,000 people. The medical journal ‘The Lancet’ estimates that half of the babies born today will reach the age of 100. That is brilliant news, but the staggering figures that make the committee’s inquiry into the present home adaptations system all the more timely and certainly necessary. I wish to put on record how much I actually enjoyed being part of this task and finish group
I give huge thanks to Ann Jones for starting off this fifth review, and to Christine Chapman for continuing it. I also thank the stakeholders and, in particular, service users who came along and helped with our evidence. When I say ‘fifth review’, I refer to the Social Justice and Regeneration Committee review of this in 2004; the Jones review in 2005; the Equality of Opportunity Committee inquiry in 2009; and the review on progress in implementing the Jones review in 2010. So, here we are again, with yet another review, and we are getting the same answers as those that came forward then, I understand. It talks about the intention to bring about much-needed improvements to access and the supply of facilities for our disabled residents here in Wales. Yet, despite these reports, it is concerning to see that policy does not seem to have been substantially influenced to implement the required changes. I endorse the recommendations in this report. I, too, like many others before me find it really disappointing that the Minister has rejected outright four of the fundamental recommendations that would seek to benchmark this service once and for all.
Recommendation 2 states that the Welsh Government should work with local government and social housing providers to outline reasonable standards for delivery times and ensure that these are met. Minister, this is your job. This is your responsibility. The average waiting time for a disabled facilities grant last year was 326 days. Surely, you must recognise that there is a need to improve substantially in this area.
I share the disappointment of the Commissioner for Older People in Wales at the Minister’s decision to reject the introduction of a customer charter, as prescribed in recommendation 9. In providing quality care, people should be able to expect a certain and quantifiable level. A customer charter would recognise and be recognition of the quality of care being delivered on a needs-driven basis.
In order to identify and address the persistent failures in the current system, it is essential that we are able to effectively monitor not only where there are shortfalls, but also to share best practice across agencies. Rejection of recommendation 13 means that the Welsh Government is not prepared to advocate an audit of adaptation services in order to identify best practice and how it is implemented by local authorities. It states that is not for the Welsh Government to intervene, and that the responsibility falls to each local authority. Again, that is a lack of direction and leadership from you, as the Minister, and from this Welsh Government. Minister, it has become abundantly obvious during our comprehensive stakeholder engagement and evidence-gathering exercise that inconsistency of approach and lack of detailed assessments by local authorities is a fundamental drawback—not every authority, but there are many out there. This prevents a consistent, definable level of provision. This needs corporate leadership that can only come from you.
We need to have robust performance indicators, against which each provider and authority can be measured. I do not mean bringing in lots of extra bureaucracy. The committee heard on many occasions of the contribution of timely interventions through adaptations, reducing the burden on other areas of public spending. We talk about the prevention agenda, which Peter Black AM has mentioned. Shelter Cymru has estimated that poor, inappropriate housing costs the NHS £56 million a year. Evidence from Care and Repair shows that for every pound spent on adaptations, the statutory sector saves £7.50. So, in effect, the cost of a stairlift, at a cost of £300 to £1,000, could actually prevent the cost of a £30,000 hip fracture, as well as the cost to the individual, in terms of pain and grief.
I urge the Welsh Government to take a look again, and to think again about its rejection of the recommendations. They say that if you do what you always do, you get what you always get. Minister, it is time that you stepped up to the mark and delivered on this agenda.