The Care Scrutiny Committee met to discuss two key issues relating to care in Gwynedd: the performance of domiciliary care providers, and the availability of care places for people who are ready to leave hospital. The committee made no formal decisions.

Domiciliary Care

The committee heard a report on the performance of domiciliary care providers in Gwynedd. The report highlighted that there are 147 domiciliary care providers registered with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) operating in Gwynedd, and that these providers play a vital role in enabling people to remain living at home.

The report noted that domiciliary care is a challenging sector to work in , and that a number of these care providers have been subject to enforcement action by CIW. The report went on to say:

It is important that we have sufficient capacity of good quality and sustainable domiciliary care in Gwynedd to meet the needs of our residents now and in the future.

Hospital Discharge

The committee then considered a report on hospital discharge arrangements and the availability of care home places. The report highlighted that there has been a significant increase in demand for care home places, with an average of 26 people waiting to be discharged from hospital to a care home place each day.

The report stated that

... demand for care services continues to be significantly higher than the capacity available

The report went on to explain that the shortage of care home places is due to a number of factors, including the increasing complexity of need among people requiring care, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

The committee also heard that the council is working with partners in the NHS and the independent sector to address the issues raised in the report. This work includes a focus on preventing unnecessary admissions to hospital, and supporting people to return home from hospital as soon as they are well enough.