scholarly journals No scope for complacency: time to improve healthcare for older people

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 441-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Hilton

SummaryThe Equality Act 2010 should prevent age discrimination in the provision of healthcare and other services in the UK. The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Faculty of the Psychiatry of Old Age and General & Community Psychiatry Faculty have offered constructive guidance to help achieve this. However, there are pitfalls. First, legislation does not guarantee enforcement. Second, discrimination in the form of persisting negative attitudes of society towards older people and their ability to benefit from health interventions is associated with a deficit in funding old age services that has accumulated gradually during the 60 years of the National Health Service. These difficulties will need to be overcome to achieve effective implementation of the Act.

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim JA van den Heuvel

SummaryThe increasing number of old people is becoming a growing policy concern. Negative attitudes towards old people raise questions about the extent to which discrimination against old people exists and elder abuse occurs. This paper describes the occurrence of discrimination against old people and elder abuse, as well as the factors related to it, based on a review of (scientific) literature, official documents and the actions of legal bodies.Frequent or regular age discrimination, as experienced by old people themselves, is reported by a quarter of European citizens. Data on elder abuse vary and are often not representative; the same goes for data on inequality. Nevertheless, the analysis shows that discrimination against old age and elder abuse occurs regularly in the ‘western world’. Vulnerable old people are especially at risk. National and regional, multi-component action plans are recommended to combat discrimination against old people.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-177
Author(s):  
Claire Hilton

The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Old Age Faculty withdrew College Report CR156, Psychiatric Services for Black and Minority Ethnic Older People (Shah et al., 2009) in 2014. This is in line with recent United Kingdom (UK) government National Health Service proposals and the range of diversity encompassed by the Equality Act (2010). The Act refers to “protected characteristics” including age, disability, religion or belief, race (based on colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins), and sexual orientation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 237 (12) ◽  
pp. 1400-1408
Author(s):  
Heinrich Heimann ◽  
Deborah Broadbent ◽  
Robert Cheeseman

AbstractThe customary doctor and patient interactions are currently undergoing significant changes through technological advances in imaging and data processing and the need for reducing person-to person contacts during the COVID-19 crisis. There is a trend away from face-to-face examinations to virtual assessments and decision making. Ophthalmology is particularly amenable to such changes, as a high proportion of clinical decisions are based on routine tests and imaging results, which can be assessed remotely. The uptake of digital ophthalmology varies significantly between countries. Due to financial constraints within the National Health Service, specialized ophthalmology units in the UK have been early adopters of digital technology. For more than a decade, patients have been managed remotely in the diabetic retinopathy screening service and virtual glaucoma clinics. We describe the day-to-day running of such services and the doctor and patient experiences with digital ophthalmology in daily practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARK EXWORTHY ◽  
PAULA HYDE ◽  
PAMELA MCDONALD-KUHNE

AbstractWe elaborate Le Grand's thesis of ‘knights and knaves’ in terms of clinical excellence awards (CEAs), the ‘financial bonuses’ which are paid to over half of all English hospital specialists and which can be as much as £75,000 (€92,000) per year in addition to an NHS (National Health Service) salary. Knights are ‘individuals who are motivated to help others for no private reward’ while knaves are ‘self-interested individuals who are motivated to help others only if by doing so they will serve their private interests.’ Doctors (individually and collectively) exhibit both traits but the work of explanation of the inter-relationship between them has remained neglected. Through a textual analysis of written responses to a recent review of CEAs, we examine the ‘knightly’ and ‘knavish’ arguments used by medical professional stakeholders in defending these CEAs. While doctors promote their knightly claims, they are also knavish in shaping the preferences of, and options for, policy-makers. Policy-makers continue to support CEAs but have introduced revised criteria for CEAs, putting pressure on the medical profession to accept reforms. CEAs illustrate the enduring and flexible power of the medical profession in the UK in colonising reforms to their pay, and also the subtle inter-relationship between knights and knaves in health policy.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Mary Benbow

ABSTRACTBackground: There are a number of models of patient and carer participation. Their usefulness and applicability to old age psychiatry is considered.Methods: Models of participation are reviewed and related to examples of participation initiatives drawn from the author's work in the context of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.Results: Models of participation which emphasize collaboration and partnership are found to be useful. Simple interventions such as copying letters to patients and/or carers can lead to change in the balance of power between staff and patients/carers. Initiatives which draw on the experiences of patients and carers can facilitate organizational learning and development. Involving patients and carers in education offers a way to influence services and the staff working in them.Conclusion: Participation is better understood as a spectrum rather than a hierarchy. Old age psychiatry services would benefit from developing greater patient and carer participation at all levels.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document