Call for more care services scrutiny

Councils and health boards in Wales should “ambitiously” scrutinise their health and social care services to make them reflect the wishes of citizens, public sector experts have recommended.

A review of Welsh public services led by Sir Jeremy Beecham, vice-chair of the Local Government Association, also called for the Welsh assembly and local government leaders to develop a new set of streamlined minimum standards for all services to be measured against.

The report, Beyond Boundaries, said councils had become too defensive about measuring themselves against each other, and this must change if a more citizen-focused approach was to be delivered.

As predicted last week in Community Care, the report stopped short of recommending reorganisation of local government.