Care home ‘crisis’ in Wales

Posted: August 18, 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

A campaigner has called for urgent action to be taken to encourage nurses into Wales’ independent care sector before the situation becomes a ‘crisis’. Mario Kreft, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said that the severity of staff shortages is quickly becoming a ‘crisis’, with the pressure on staff and hospital beds turning into a major problem. He raised this concern after two care homes were recently forced to close in Wales as a result of staff shortages and recruitment problems.

Mr Kreft said that recent recruitment problems have seen the morale in Wales’ care sector drop to “the lowest that it has been in 30 years”. He believes that the care sector should aim to develop relationships between the health boards and government to help tackle the problem. He pointed out that it is in everybody’s best interest to provide good care in nursing homes to keep individuals out of hospitals: a far less expensive route.

Recruiting nurses of the “right calibre”   

The two care homes that closed were in Bridgend, with the owners of both identifying the lack of nurses and inability to recruit as the key contributory factors for closing. One of the care home owners said that the main problem was actually recruiting nurses of the “right calibre”, with the quality of care being of the utmost importance.

Mr Kreft said that by closing care homes and keeping elderly people in hospital beds we are: “sleepwalking into a perfect storm of rising need, dwindling resources and a recruitment crisis unless urgent action is taken.”

If you have been affected by healthcare negligence, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

« Ethnic minorities missing out on care
Death prompts ambulance increase »