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15 Oct 2012
A report released today has highlighted areas of concern surrounding the care of elderly people in Scotland’s hospitals.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s six-monthly report, which investigates the care of older patients in acute hospitals, found problems with nutrition, activity and issues of dignity.
It stated that in half of Scotland’s hospitals patients with dementia did not always have access to activities and stimulation, while nutritional screening was not routinely carried out when patients arrived in all of the hospitals evaluated.
Inspectors did state that in the majority of circumstances, staff treated patients with compassion and respect.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman and deputy leader Jackson Carlaw MSP said:
“This report clearly highlights areas which need to be radically improved, and quickly.
“It will be of huge concern to families that an elderly loved one may not be receiving the correct nutrition in hospital, and indeed that their dignity is not being prioritised.
“With the number of elderly people in Scotland on a steady increase, this is something that has to be sorted out now.
“Our NHS is clearly not ready for this timebomb, as segments of this report prove.”
To see the full report visit:
www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/programmes/inspecting_and_regulating_care/opah_six-monthly_reports/opah_six-monthly_rep_oct_2012.aspx
