Older people added to Huw Irranca-Davies's brief

BBC Huw Irranca-DaviesBBC
Huw Irranca-Davies is now minister for children, older people and social care

The minister for children and social care now has an added responsibility for older people.

Huw Irranca-Davies will take on the extra duties from Wednesday.

First Minister Carwyn Jones said it was to "further demonstrate" the Welsh Government's commitment to older people.

He was speaking at en event to celebrate the work and impact of the outgoing Older People's Commissioner Sarah Rochira.

Mr Jones said the human rights of older people would be put at the heart of Welsh public services to ensure Wales was "the best place in the world to grow old".

It comes as Ms Rochira published a report reviewing her six years in post.

She said there had been a "significant shift" in policy, legislation, regulations and practice involving issues concerning older people.

There was now an approach which was more focused on the person, their outcomes and how to prevent problems.

But the commissioner said there was no room for complacency and she had been concerned the Welsh Government's Prosperity For All strategy - to address the biggest challenges facing Wales - did not have a sufficient breadth of focus on older people.

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A programme of work from Welsh Government will include:

  • Revising guidance relating to escalating concerns on care homes to ensure older people's rights are upheld and they are not put at risk due to closures
  • Improving the quality, consistency and availability of independent advocacy services
  • Integrating the rights of older people into the process the Welsh Government uses to assess the impact of its policies on groups
  • Working with older people to address barriers to ageing well

Mr Irranca-Davies said Prosperity for All was a commitment to support everyone to live healthy, prosperous and rewarding lives.

"The work I will lead will ensure we deliver these commitments to older people right across Wales," he added.