1 October 2013

Dear Chair,

Following my appearance at the Health and Social Care Committee meeting on 25 September 2013, the Committee requested that I provide information regarding the number of cases that I am considering at present, to include (1) the number relating to social care, and (2) those which the Commissioner considers serious.

I currently have 41 cases relating to social care, of these 26 are particularly serious cases.

The serious cases being looked at include, as examples,:

· Potential manslaughter (currently with the police)

· circumstances surrounding death

· alleged sexual assault

· personal injury

· very poor care standards and mistreatment of residents

· Continuing NHS Health Care

· Older people being moved out of area due to lack of EMI nursing places

· Problems with joint working between health and social care agencies

· Diagnoses of dementia without sufficient mental health assessment

· Whistle-blowing

· care home closure and the impact of moving frail, vulnerable individuals

· potentially discriminatory practices

By the end of this financial year I will publish my first Casebook covering cases I have intervened in, the wider themes emerging from casework and lessons that can be learned across public services in Wales.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Rochira, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales