Rampant Ageism in the NHS - UK

Rampant Ageism In The NHS, UK
Article Date: 04 Mar 2008 - 4:00 PST


Government must outlaw age discrimination in all goods and services.

Responding to recent media reports suggesting medical treatment is being denied to older people on the basis of their age, Help the Aged has issued a statement saying the NHS suffers from 'rampant ageism.'Kate Jopling, head of public affairs at the Charity said: "Age discrimination remains rife in our national health service, despite a government pledge as far back as 2001 to root it out. All too often, older people must resign themselves to a poorer standard of health care than their younger counterparts, simply because of their age.


"The Department of Health has acknowledged that there are deep-rooted negative attitudes and behaviours towards older people and these are at the heart of failure to provide decent services for them. "Ageism manifests itself in a variety of ways: failure to offer treatment to older people that younger people are routinely given access to, the dearth of adequate funding and specialist services for older people, a cultural attitude that labels everything from daily aches and pains to life threatening illnesses when exhibited in over 65s as part and parcel of getting older. "The NHS suffers from rampant ageism.

Help the Aged is the charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people in the UK and overseas from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. It campaigns to raise public awareness of the issues affecting older people and to bring about policy change. The Charity delivers a range of services: information and advice, home support and community living, including international development work. These are supported by its paid-for services and fundraising activities - which aim to increase funding in the future to respond to the growing unmet needs of disadvantaged older people. Help the Aged also funds vital research into the health issues and experiences of older people to improve the quality of later life. Help the Aged urgently needs donations and support to help it in the increasingly challenging fight to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. Help the Aged



(abridged) SOURCE: medicalNewsToday