UK – Political Battling over the Elderly for votes

News 06 10 2009 'Medicine errors' in care homes. A report “slams” the shocking treatment of the elderly in care home. (News more fully below ).

As is usual the Government consistently allows failure to build as a future political instrument for use at every new election but how do the General British Public feel about todays News concerning a report into the failings of some care homes?. Under such conditions is it still acceptable that the elderly pay some £8,000 to an insurance Company as a one-off payment for their care in old age to face the shocking treatment now highlighted?.

 

Its all very well Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley saying that it’s a "major injustice"  that some 45,000 elderly people in England are forced to sell their homes in paying for residential care but what is the “biggest injustice” is that the Gov has known about it year after year after year after year and done absolutely nothing about it!. Since “injustice” is only recognized at election time every 4 years perhaps elections need be held every 2 years and if that does yield results then every 1 year followed by months then by days.  

 

As the Political Parties fight over ways to reduce Public expenditure for Election votes Tesco today reveals a figure of some £1.4 billion in profits – all while the Tories suggest that everyone must work an extra retirement year in paying higher income tax while remaining in a high price spending regime whereby it collects purchase tax revenue too!.

 

Political fighting in the face of a recession should be about how to create new jobs providing new wealth and prosperity for the Country negating the need for drastic cuts in Public expenditure which will lower Public standards. 

 

Old News:  

03 10 2009 Tories promise 'free' OAP life care. for a one-off payment of about £8,000 people in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />England would receive a guarantee that all fees for permanent residential care would be waived for the rest of their life. The Tories said that the "home protection plan" could be run by existing insurers and would not require any public money. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said that it would end a "major injustice" which each year saw an estimated 45,000 elderly people in England forced to sell their homes to pay for residential care.

04 10 2009 Tory elderly care plan criticised. The Tories are under fire over plans to end the plight of tens of thousands of elderly people forced to sell their homes to pay the cost of residential care. Treasury minister Stephen Timms said "Social care for the elderly is an issue of national importance, but the Tories' ill thought-through plans don't add up," Under the Conservative proposals, people will be given the option of signing up to scheme when they reach the state retirement age of 65. There will be a one-off joining fee, which the Conservatives estimate will be about £8,000.

06 10 2009 'Medicine errors' in care homes. A report “slams” the shocking treatment of the elderly in care home. Researchers from universities in Leeds, London and Surrey examined data from 256 residents in 55 care homes across England. (1) Each resident was typically taking eight medicines each (2) 7 out of 10 given the wrong drugs or doses (medication was mislabelled) (3) Almost a third (30%) of the drugs which should have been monitored for potentially harmful side-effects were not (4) evidence of doctors who were not accessible and did not know the residents. Although well-intentioned staff were doing their best under the circumstances they suffered overwork, lack of training, poor teamwork and where It was clear from the interviews that no one took responsibility for the whole system.  Peter Walsh, chief executive of Action Against Medical Accidents, said the study was evidence of "age discrimination" and called for the tighter regulation of nursing homes, with regular doctor-led reviews of patient medication and more training for staff.

 

06 10 2009 Tesco reveals £1.4 billion profits

Supermarket giant Tesco said it made £1.4 billion in profits for the first half of its financial year.

06 10 2009 'Retire at 66' under new Tory plans

The move would allow him to reduce Britain's massive deficit by £13 billion a year

06 10 2009 Darling freezes pay for top earners. The Chancellor has written to the chairs of the salary review bodies urging that there should be no pay rise for about 750,000 people including judges, senior NHS managers and GPs.