YORK Central MP RACHAEL Maskel has criticised the Government for failing to uphold the basic rights of elderly patients within the National Health Service.
Ms. Maskell, who is also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Older People and Ageing, was responding to a report issued by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which found that over a third of family members have been concerned about the hospital care of an elderly relative.
The PHSO surveyed 600 people who had an elderly family member stay in hospital overnight during the past year.
Respondents cited examples of the humiliating treatment of their elderly loved ones, such as having to call 999 from a hospital ward for want of attention, or being forced to wear undignified “adult nappies”, even when the patient could use a commode with assistance.
The survey also found gross inadequacies in the handling of complaints: two-thirds of those with concerns did not feel their complaint made any difference.
Ms. Maskell said: “It is shocking that the basic rights of older people are being ignored within the health service. It is time that the UK devised a framework of Rights of Older People and enshrined this in law.
The Labour Government in Wales have done much to establish a Commission for the Rights of Older People, and yet the UK Government has only ever offered warm words. This is so patronising when there are serious issues to be addressed about the standard of care that older people receive.
“In an environment where services are run on challenging staffing levels and it is incredibly pressurised, it is vital that staff are provided the time to care and the training they need to provide an excellent service. "
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