Tag Archives: carers
Quarter of hospital beds are now occupied by dementia sufferers
Emergency admissions for dementia patients rise 12%
A quarter of hospital beds are now occupied by dementia sufferers as emergency admissions have risen sharply in recent years, figures show.
Too many dementia sufferers are ending up in hospital, it is claimed. Photo: REX
Experts say the increasing number of admissions is costly to the NHS and in many cases unnecessary, as well as traumatic for vulnerable patients.
Campaigners are calling for new strategies to improve care for dementia under the reformed health service, with greater involvement from patients themselves.
Reforms to long-term care for the elderly may not take effect until 2025
Reforms to long-term care for the elderly may not take effect for another 15 years, despite warnings that the system is already in crisis.
By Tim Ross, Political Correspondent
6:15AM GMT 14 Dec 2011
Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, yesterday refused to rule out a new tax on pensioners to pay for the soaring costs of old age and acknowledged that more funding was needed.
His advisers admitted that key parts of the planned reformed system of care for elderly and disabled adults may not come into effect before 2025.
