Letter to the editor

Lack of care for the elderly

printed in the Western Morning News 1/6/11


Dear Editor,

In the early 1990s Graham Pink was fired from his nursing post on the grounds that he had breached confidentiality, his crime being that he wanted to expose the poor care that older people were receiving in hospital.

Year after year, Government after Government, report after report, we hear appalling statements about older people not only being deprived of basic nursing care but also not being given respect or treated with dignity.

What use are outcomes, policies, guidance notes or legislation when there appears to be a lack of understanding of what constitutes care? It isn't difficult and it isn't complicated, it's how we would all wish to be treated and it doesn't change with age.

Just how many more decades must pass before action is taken to address this disgraceful state of affairs? Is there anyone in Government who has the ability to deal with this problem, now, not in another ten years time?

Cllr Jenny Roach,
Nominating Officer,
The Liberal Party