Media centre

Gordon Lishman‚ Director General of Age Concern‚ said:

“The dignity of older patients in hospital has been a low priority for far too long. The majority of inpatients are older people‚ yet hospitals are rarely organised to reflect this. We want NHS Boards to make dignity a top priority‚ so that hospitals provide services that Board members themselves would be prepared to receive.

“There has been welcome progress in some areas – such as better help with eating for people who need it. But more needs to be done. Almost half of patients who need help with eating are still not guaranteed that support. Three in five older people in general hospitals experience a mental health problem. This can go unspotted as staff are rarely trained to respond to this.

“A real test of whether the NHS is working for patients is if hospitals routinely check that policies are being used in day-to-day practice – in every ward and on every shift. It must also become routine practice to improve services by asking older people about their experiences in hospital.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The report highlights that one in four complaints received by the Healthcare Commission are about poor nutrition.  

Age Concern South Staffordshire is highlighted in the report as a model of best practice for its Hungry to be Heard programme with Staffordshire General Hospital (page 47 of the report). For more details about our Hungry to Be Heard campaign‚ please visit: the Hungry to be Heard Website