Older people's human rights during Covid-19 pandemic to be put under spotlight in Wales

The Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales and the country’s older people’s commissioner have joined forces to consider whether responsibilities to uphold the human rights of older people were met.

Commissioner Heléna Herklots and Ruth Coombs, head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales, say they have both shared concerns about a number of actions taken in response to the pandemic.

Among them, they say, was the 'slow response' by the Welsh Government to make testing widely available to care home residents and staff.

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In a joint statement, Ms Herklots and Ms Coombs said: “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 have been taken during this pandemic."

They have called 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 statement continues: “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.”