Age Concern is calling on the government to
"embed human rights" in the NHS constitution.
Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
_______________________________________
Hospitals and care homes are ignoring older people's human rights, despite a report a year ago calling for a "culture change" in the NHS, Age Concern said today.
The charity says not enough progress has been made since parliament's joint committee on human rights published its report in August last year.
Older people interviewed for Age Concern's report, On the Right Track, told of being left to sit in their own excrement and being heavily sedated to make them easier to care for.
One 102-year-old blind woman found that while in hospital most of her meals were left on a tray without staff alerting her they were there. No one offered to help her eat and many of her meals were removed untouched, the report states.
The charity also found examples of people being evicted from care homes after complaining about the standard of care.
It is calling on the government to "embed human rights in the NHS constitution and put them at the heart of its plans for reform of health and social care regulation".
Gordon Lishman, Age Concern's director general, said: "Failing to meet basic rights is not acceptable. No one should have to go without help with eating and drinking or using the toilet, yet this is still happening every day in hospitals and care homes. It's horrendous that people are still being mistreated and abused.
"Human rights are not visible enough in government policy and are even more difficult to see in practice. Despite the excellent care provided by many health and care workers, there is much work to be done to change the culture of health and social care.
"Without a commitment from policy makers and staff to uphold people's human rights, we cannot be confident our loved ones will be treated with dignity or respect."
A Department of Health spokesman responded: "We are doing everything in our power to protect vulnerable older people and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect in all care settings. No one, especially not elderly people, should have to put up with abuse or ill treatment.
"Earlier this year we amended the health and social care bill so that any independent sector care home that provides accommodation together with nursing or personal care on behalf of a local authority is subject to the Human Rights Act. This move strengthened the protection of vulnerable people in the care system.
"This is only part of a wide-ranging package of measures being put in place. We are also extending our first ever dignity in care campaign, creating the first ever national dementia strategy, and reviewing the 'No Secrets' guidance on protecting older people from abuse."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2008
August 28, 2008
U.K.: Human rights of elderly 'still violated,' protests Age Concern
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LONDON, England (The Guardian), August 28, 2008
Long-term Care / Care of the Elderly
• Not enough progress made since last year, says Age Concern
• Patients 'evicted from care homes' after complaints
_______________________________________
Age Concern is calling on the government to
"embed human rights" in the NHS constitution.
Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
_______________________________________
Hospitals and care homes are ignoring older people's human rights, despite a report a year ago calling for a "culture change" in the NHS, Age Concern said today.
The charity says not enough progress has been made since parliament's joint committee on human rights published its report in August last year.
Older people interviewed for Age Concern's report, On the Right Track, told of being left to sit in their own excrement and being heavily sedated to make them easier to care for.
One 102-year-old blind woman found that while in hospital most of her meals were left on a tray without staff alerting her they were there. No one offered to help her eat and many of her meals were removed untouched, the report states.
The charity also found examples of people being evicted from care homes after complaining about the standard of care.
It is calling on the government to "embed human rights in the NHS constitution and put them at the heart of its plans for reform of health and social care regulation".
Gordon Lishman, Age Concern's director general, said: "Failing to meet basic rights is not acceptable. No one should have to go without help with eating and drinking or using the toilet, yet this is still happening every day in hospitals and care homes. It's horrendous that people are still being mistreated and abused.
"Human rights are not visible enough in government policy and are even more difficult to see in practice. Despite the excellent care provided by many health and care workers, there is much work to be done to change the culture of health and social care.
"Without a commitment from policy makers and staff to uphold people's human rights, we cannot be confident our loved ones will be treated with dignity or respect."
A Department of Health spokesman responded: "We are doing everything in our power to protect vulnerable older people and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect in all care settings. No one, especially not elderly people, should have to put up with abuse or ill treatment.
"Earlier this year we amended the health and social care bill so that any independent sector care home that provides accommodation together with nursing or personal care on behalf of a local authority is subject to the Human Rights Act. This move strengthened the protection of vulnerable people in the care system.
"This is only part of a wide-ranging package of measures being put in place. We are also extending our first ever dignity in care campaign, creating the first ever national dementia strategy, and reviewing the 'No Secrets' guidance on protecting older people from abuse."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2008
Age Concern is calling on the government to
"embed human rights" in the NHS constitution.
Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
_______________________________________
Hospitals and care homes are ignoring older people's human rights, despite a report a year ago calling for a "culture change" in the NHS, Age Concern said today.
The charity says not enough progress has been made since parliament's joint committee on human rights published its report in August last year.
Older people interviewed for Age Concern's report, On the Right Track, told of being left to sit in their own excrement and being heavily sedated to make them easier to care for.
One 102-year-old blind woman found that while in hospital most of her meals were left on a tray without staff alerting her they were there. No one offered to help her eat and many of her meals were removed untouched, the report states.
The charity also found examples of people being evicted from care homes after complaining about the standard of care.
It is calling on the government to "embed human rights in the NHS constitution and put them at the heart of its plans for reform of health and social care regulation".
Gordon Lishman, Age Concern's director general, said: "Failing to meet basic rights is not acceptable. No one should have to go without help with eating and drinking or using the toilet, yet this is still happening every day in hospitals and care homes. It's horrendous that people are still being mistreated and abused.
"Human rights are not visible enough in government policy and are even more difficult to see in practice. Despite the excellent care provided by many health and care workers, there is much work to be done to change the culture of health and social care.
"Without a commitment from policy makers and staff to uphold people's human rights, we cannot be confident our loved ones will be treated with dignity or respect."
A Department of Health spokesman responded: "We are doing everything in our power to protect vulnerable older people and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect in all care settings. No one, especially not elderly people, should have to put up with abuse or ill treatment.
"Earlier this year we amended the health and social care bill so that any independent sector care home that provides accommodation together with nursing or personal care on behalf of a local authority is subject to the Human Rights Act. This move strengthened the protection of vulnerable people in the care system.
"This is only part of a wide-ranging package of measures being put in place. We are also extending our first ever dignity in care campaign, creating the first ever national dementia strategy, and reviewing the 'No Secrets' guidance on protecting older people from abuse."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2008
