We're No Angels
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has performed a national service - with its candid report about the quality of care offered to elderly people - when they go into hospital.
Here's an extract of of what the Guardian newspaper has to say today:
"Too many hospital staff do not ensure older patients eat and drink properly, fail to respect their dignity and talk to them in a condescending manner, the NHS watchdog warns.
In a highly critical report the Care Quality Commission said that more than half of all hospitals in England were not meeting key standards for dignity and nutrition in elderly people, a finding it called "truly alarming and deeply disappointing". It castigated a handful of them for providing "unacceptable care".
Of 100 acute hospitals that received unannounced visits by inspectors between March and June, 45 met the NHS's standards relating to both patients' dignity and nutrition. Thirty-five did met both standards but needed to make improvements in one or both areas. And 20 – one in five – did not meet either one or both of them. Too often staff did not treat patients with kindness and compassion, it found."
Now I have to say that the CQC's findings mirror my personal experience with my elderly Mum - when she was in an out of hospital for two or three years - before finally passing away.
The problems do not affect every hospital - nor do they affect every ward in every hospital - sometimes it comes down to the attitudes of individual staff.
And while the CQC report is about England and Wales - anyone who thinks Scotland is any different is kidding themselves.
What the CQC has uncovered is a culture of indifference and neglect - the underlying problems are not about resources and money - but about attitudes and leadership within the NHS.
And the CQC highlights the importance of 'unannounced' visits to wards hospitals - which is the only realistic way of finding out what's really going on.
I hope the report leads to a sensible, but unflinching debate about care standards in the NHS - the aim is not to instigate a witch hunt - the aim is for the NHS to consider issues from the patient's experience and point of view.
Which the CQC has done with remarkable honesty.
The majority of NHS staff do a wonderful job - but a significant minority do not - simple as that.
The NHS is not staffed with 'angels' in uniform - but with ordinary human beings - who have the same flaws and failings as the rest of the population.
Here's an extract of of what the Guardian newspaper has to say today:
"Too many hospital staff do not ensure older patients eat and drink properly, fail to respect their dignity and talk to them in a condescending manner, the NHS watchdog warns.
In a highly critical report the Care Quality Commission said that more than half of all hospitals in England were not meeting key standards for dignity and nutrition in elderly people, a finding it called "truly alarming and deeply disappointing". It castigated a handful of them for providing "unacceptable care".
Of 100 acute hospitals that received unannounced visits by inspectors between March and June, 45 met the NHS's standards relating to both patients' dignity and nutrition. Thirty-five did met both standards but needed to make improvements in one or both areas. And 20 – one in five – did not meet either one or both of them. Too often staff did not treat patients with kindness and compassion, it found."
Now I have to say that the CQC's findings mirror my personal experience with my elderly Mum - when she was in an out of hospital for two or three years - before finally passing away.
The problems do not affect every hospital - nor do they affect every ward in every hospital - sometimes it comes down to the attitudes of individual staff.
And while the CQC report is about England and Wales - anyone who thinks Scotland is any different is kidding themselves.
What the CQC has uncovered is a culture of indifference and neglect - the underlying problems are not about resources and money - but about attitudes and leadership within the NHS.
And the CQC highlights the importance of 'unannounced' visits to wards hospitals - which is the only realistic way of finding out what's really going on.
I hope the report leads to a sensible, but unflinching debate about care standards in the NHS - the aim is not to instigate a witch hunt - the aim is for the NHS to consider issues from the patient's experience and point of view.
Which the CQC has done with remarkable honesty.
The majority of NHS staff do a wonderful job - but a significant minority do not - simple as that.
The NHS is not staffed with 'angels' in uniform - but with ordinary human beings - who have the same flaws and failings as the rest of the population.
