Category Archives: Carers

The results of years of underfunding for care

September 26, 2011   Carers, family, Older care

Don’t ask relatives to fill the elderly care gap

The idea that visiting hours could be extended so relatives can care for patients shows something is seriously wrong in the NHS

The RCN has suggested that visitors could tend to the needs of elderly patients.

The Royal College of Nursing’s suggestion that hospital visiting hours should be extended so visitors can tend to the needs of hospital patients, particularly older people, highlights, yet again, the inadequacy of UK care. With an ageing population and a woefully underfunded system of care, we are heading for a major crisis if we do not wake up to the challenges that are already upon us. When it comes to care for older people, a fortune is spent on the health service, but care is considered very much the poor relation.

Yet inadequate care of elderly patients can be just as life-threatening as inadequate attention to their medical needs. We read about pensioners dying of malnutrition in hospitals and of nursing staff so overstretched that they neglect the basic care needs of the elderly. This is a result of years of underfunding for care.

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LEARNING disability day services may be changing in Northumberland

September 26, 2011   Carers, Downs syndrome, learning difficulties, ukcuts

Fears grow for future of learning disability care

Published on Monday 26 September 2011 01:00

LEARNING disability day services could be taken out of direct council control.

But a long-serving Northumberland carer has spoken of his concerns over the move.

Senior councillors have backed proposals for Northumberland County Council to team up with an external care provider to transform its five day centres and three horticultural skills units into a social enterprise.

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NHS reveals burden on emergency services

September 25, 2011   Carers, hospital

In 2009-10, 39,000 people who used A&E were not given any treatment.

 
Published on Sunday 25 September 2011 13:32

PEOPLE attending county hospitals when they did not need to cost tax payers £3.4m last year, it has been revealed.

More than 65,000 people left A&E departments at Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital without receiving any treatment.

A similar problem is people dialling 999 inappropriately, and health officials are trying to educate residents about when they should dial 999 or use A&E and when they should use other facilities.

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