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The National Services Framework
Hilary Scott
, chairman of the charity, Action on Elder Abuse,
has welcomed the progress the Government has made on care for the elderly in
recent years, but warns more needs to be done.
Ms Scott's comments come as the Health Minister, Liam Byrne, called
for dignity to be prioritised in care services for the elderly. He used the
publication of the second phase of the government's ten-year plan to
highlight his new agenda to improve elderly care services.
Speaking on BBC One's 'Breakfast', Ms Scott declared: 'I'm very happy with
the idea of putting all of this work on a very firm positive footing:
dignity plus respect should equal excellent care for older people.'
However, she remarked: 'I am just concerned that it doesn't go far
enough.'
Ms Scott explained: 'At Action on Elder Abuse we have something like 80
calls a week from people who are concerned about the care that they receive
or that their family receives either in the health service or in the care
sector and I am afraid that some of the care amounts not to a lack of
dignity or respect but actually abuse.'
Known as the National Service Framework, the Government's plan focuses on
achieving 'joined up' welfare services between the Department of Health and
regulators, and commissioning bodies and stakeholders.
Ms Scott said: 'I spent 20 years in the health service and I have
worked with many, many excellent members of staff but with some it's not
enough.'
Ms Scott suggested nursing staff dedicated to ensuring 'that older people
are treated with dignity and respect in the hospital', would be a good
measure. But she argued such
staff had to 'have the support of a member of the board because that
individual can't help when in fact it's the institution itself', that's at
fault.
In the meantime Ms Scott acknowledged the Government has made progress of
the provision of elderly care. But
she said: 'There are still large areas of the health service and the care
sector where older people can not feel absolutely secure that they will be
guaranteed good safe treatment and indeed the regulators reported on that
only a few weeks ago. 'There is
still a great deal more to be done,' declared Ms Scott.
Since the Government launched its ten-year plan in 2001, provision for the
elderly has increased significantly, with spending increasing to around £16
billion in 2003/4; around 43 per cent of the NHS' entire budget.
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