Healthcare Commission report

ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the Healthcare Commission's report showing a variation in healthcare provision around the country.

Most of the 76,000 people asked by the Commission were happy with the treatment they received in hospital but in some areas patients experienced problems with the use of mixed-sex wards, food and information about treatment.

Party response: Liberal Democrat

Norman Lamb, health spokesperson, said: "These results will make worrying reading for a government that claims to be committed to infection control and patient dignity.

"The key indicators of effective infection control - good basic hygiene - have got worse rather than better.
 
"The report again highlights Labour's failure to provide patients with dignity when it comes to issues such as mixed sex wards. Choice is also exposed as an illusion for the majority of patients.

"We need a new focus in the NHS, which treats patients with respect from the moment they enter care until the moment they leave."


Stakeholder response: Age Concern

To send a comment to Age Concern click here

Gordon Lishman, director general, said: "This report clearly shows people in hospital are not getting the support they need from staff to help them eat. Food is one of the most basic human needs, and should be as high a priority for hospital staff as administering medication for a patient's treatment and recovery.

"The current healthcare system is routinely failing older people and is simply not geared up to meet the needs of our ageing population. Despite older people being the main users of NHS, neither the provision of services nor the education and training of professionals seems to recognise this fact. 

"If we are to stamp out the malnutrition of older people, every ward in every hospital must make a firm commitment to make it nutrition a top priority. The government must also ensure nutrition is one of the set regulatory requirements monitored by the new super regulator, the Care Quality Commission. Malnutrition costs the UK more than £7.3bn per year - far more than obesity, and should be as high a public health priority as obesity." 

Stakeholder response: Help the Aged

To send a comment to Help the Aged clickhere

Charlotte Potter, senior health policy officer, said: "These results show the NHS is achieving high levels of patient satisfaction with overall care, but there are unacceptable variations around the country. Scores in some trusts were worryingly low when it came to being treated with dignity and respect or receiving help with eating - areas of care particularly important to older people.
 
"Help the Aged believes we are all entitled to equal quality of care, but these variations show this is not currently happening - and older people will  often be the ones bearing the brunt.  
 
"Help the Aged is campaigning for age discrimination to be outlawed, and has called on the government to include age as part of the equalities bill."