7. Debate on the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee report: Use of antipsychotic medication in care homes

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:33 pm on 11 July 2018.

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Photo of Angela Burns Angela Burns Conservative 4:33, 11 July 2018

That could be a factor. But I know, for example, as a person who has relatives who have struggled with dementia, I would be appalled if I thought that I was going to put a loved one into a home that had a classification that said, 'This is a care home that is able to deal holistically and in the round with a person who has dementia', and I would believe that, and I'd go, 'Oh great, my loved one is in a safe place'—not according to the Care Inspectorate Wales. 

Social Care Wales went on to say that it's vital that care homes are staffed by people who are sufficiently skilled to provide a person-sensitive and preventative approach to care. I absolutely think you cannot just turn around and say, 'Reccomendation 9 is unnecessary', because some of the watchdogs that you put in place to ensure that we're doing the right thing are saying we're not doing the right thing. Surely, Welsh Government, it is your absolute duty to get to grips with that and to make sure that the care homes are appropriately assessed to the right standards so that people know where they should be able to feel safe to put people that they love. 

Other recommendations that were only accepted in principle—also puzzling. I've got a few, but I'm actually going to talk about recommendation 2.

Recommendation 2 of the committee report says that we raise our concern that not all health boards are fully compliant with the NICE guidelines that advise against the use of any antipsychotics for non-cognitive symptoms of challenging behaviour of dementia. Now, you say in your response that you share our concerns about the use of antipsychotic medicines. You also say, and I'm quoting: 

'However it is not straightforward to determine whether a medicine is being prescribed in accordance with NICE’s guidance.'

Well, okay, I'm a layman—why not? This is a profession. It is full of professionals. They have to obey the rules. Why can't we ensure that a vulnerable person who may not have a voice, who is not being listened to, who is shut up in a care home, who may not have an advocate, who may not have a family member who is championing their cause, who will not be able to say, 'Am I on the right stuff?', who has lost that voice, or whose voice is so tiny we don't hear it—? Why, oh why, is it not possible for Welsh Government and for the health boards to know whether or not all of those people are being treated appropriately according to NICE guidelines that all the specialists have put together? 

There are other recommendations—I realise I'm out of time, Deputy Presiding Officer—but I'm really worried, because I think that 'accept in principle' means, 'It wasn't thought of here, we're not really prepared to do it, but we'll just palm you off a little bit and say, "Yes, we'll have a look at it".' We can't not have a look at it. This is a really good report, and these people deserve not to have inappropriate medication given to them when they don't need it.