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UK: Care of elderly often lacks dignity says NHS watchdogAnanova, May 28, 2003 UK - Health services for older people often lack privacy and dignity, according to the NHS watchdog. The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) analysed 250 of its reports on NHS organisations and looked at those services most often used by older people. They found that the elderly were most likely to suffer from delayed and poorly managed discharge once ready to leave hospital. They were also particularly likely to be cared for on wards which were inappropriate to their condition and they were often placed on mixed sex wards. This summer a joint review will begin to assess progress on the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People. The assessment, due to report in 2005, will involve CHI, the Audit Commission and the Social Services Inspectorate. CHI's Medical Director Dr Linda Patterson said: "More must be done to ensure that older people receive the quality of care they deserve. That is, on the appropriate ward, treated with privacy and dignity and discharged without delay when that treatment has finished." Deborah Klee, who is leading the assessment of the NSF, said: "Older people are major users of health and social care so it is important that services are of high and improving quality to meet their needs." She said the NSF was introduced two years ago and by 2004 most of the milestone dates would have been reached. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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