Pensioners’ fears on hospital care
Fewer than one in three pensioners think that elderly people are treated with dignity while in hospital, a poll suggests.
The survey of more than 1,000 adults over the age of 65, carried out by charity Age UK ahead of its annual conference in London, found that just 31% felt older people were treated properly while being cared for in UK hospitals.
The charity said there is “never an excuse” for not treating older patients with respect.
Michelle Mitchell, charity director-general of Age UK, said: “It is shocking that only a minority of people believe that older people will be treated with dignity when they need care.
“Looking ahead to later life can be daunting, both for individuals and their families, but that feeling can easily become fear if people do not have confidence that they will receive compassionate and dignified care when they most need it.
“There can never be an excuse for treating older people with anything less than dignity and respect in all aspects of their care.
“We need to see a cultural change in the NHS which demands that empathy and compassion lie at the heart of every decision at every level.”
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “I completely agree that the NHS needs to be better at preventing poor health in the first place but, if people do need care in a hospital or nursing home, no-one should feel that they or their loved ones should have to settle for anything less than the best care.
“By creating new chief inspectors of hospital, primary and social care and bringing in Ofsted-style ratings for care homes and hospitals, we will make sure that there will be no place to hide for services that fail to treat people with dignity.”
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