Tag Archives: health

Elderly patients are being discharged too early from hospital?

January 9, 2012   Carers, hospital, Older care

More than half of hospital beds cut were for elderly patients

More than half of hospital beds cut in the past year were for elderly patients as NHS cost-cutting drives take a disproportionate toll on older people, according to new figures.

By Donna Bowater and Sarah Rainey

Experts have warned that elderly patients are being discharged too early, putting their health at risk and increasing the likelihood of them being readmitted to hospital.

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Work is needed on the future of telehealth care

January 6, 2012   Carers, disability

More work needed on telehealth

Telehealth has benefits for patients with long-term conditions but despite industry excitement there are still areas of concern, argues Jeremy Wyatt

Telehealth could help those with long-term conditions but more work needs to be done into who would benefit the most.

The Whole System Demonstrators showed that, “if used correctly”, telehealth reduced death rates by 45%, NHS resource usage by 15-20% and tariff costs by 8%. With these striking results and the launch of the industry/NHS funded 3 Million Lives campaign, telehealth is steaming out of its backwater into the clinical mainstream.

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Integrating health and social care?

January 5, 2012   Carers, disability, Heart

Integrating health and social care? We’ll see, Mr Cameron

 

Millions of carers battling the system every day would welcome integration, but many will be sceptical of a breakthrough

 

David Cameron has reportedly ordered the integration of health and social care. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

The integration of health and social care services, as reportedly ordered by David Cameron, is the holy grail of public policy. More than a nice-to-have, it’s an absolute imperative if we are to maintain the 1948 welfare state settlement through the seismic demographic changes we are starting to undergo.

No one understands this better than the six million unpaid carers who every day have to negotiate the maddening demarcation lines between NHS services and social care provision funded – but these days rarely provided – by local councils. To secure and sustain a package of care and support for their spouse, parent, child or neighbour or friend, carers know that invariably they will have to deal with multiple agencies. For most people, their GP is the nearest thing to a one-stop care shop. But rare as hen’s teeth is the surgery that offers an on-site gateway to social care services as well as health. The best that many patients or carers can hope to emerge with is a telephone number to call.

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