Home > All articles  Your advertisement here   Almost a quarter of older people say they are not always treated with dignity in hospital - UK Help the Aged today responded to the Government's unveiling of a nationwide 'dignity tour' by Care Services Minster Ivan Lewis. The Charity has highlighted figures unveiled in its annual Spotlight report, also released today, which show the proportion of older people who say they are not always treated with dignity when in hospitals is 22 per cent . (1) Paul Cann, Director of Policy at Help the Aged, said: 'The care of older people often falls short of the essential standards of dignity that should be compulsory: a survey of adult inpatients found that almost a quarter of those asked felt that they were not always treated with respect and dignity in hospital. (1) 'Despite many nurses and doctors working against the odds to give their best, older people are too often forced to suffer infringements in basic standards of care such as nutrition and privacy. 'In the 21st century, it really is shocking that health services fail to consistently provide aspects of basic care, and in the process deny older people their dignity - this most basic recognition of their humanity. 'Establishing and maintaining dignity for patients is an issue of paramount importance - patients, in particular older people, cite dignity as a primary area of concern for them when accessing healthcare. 'We must break out of the cycle of claim and counter-claim. Later in the year, Help the Aged will be launching a set of measures that will tell us how much progress we are making with dignity year on year, and call all those responsible to account. 'Dignity in care should never be compromised and should be far more than a mere concept to sign up to. Fine words do not deliver dignity for our older population.'       By K.S. Date 23-05-2008 Print this news| Send to a friend Your advertisement here