07 June 2002
Department of Health figures, released by Paul Burstow, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for older people, show an average 18% increase in the number of over-75s being readmitted to A&E over the past two years. The problem is particularly acute in the Northwest, and in Northern and Yorkshire areas.
Burstow blamed this on political pressure to fast-track patients out of blocked beds – and lack of community care support when they leave. He said: 'Alan Milburn's latest quick fix of penalties will simply make things worse, as hard-pressed budget-holders in the NHS and social services play a game of Pass the Parcel with the lives of frail elderly people.'
The government is preparing a consultation paper that could lead to the introduction of a Swedish-style system for tackling delayed discharge by April 2003. This would penalise local authorities that did not provide community care packages within a fixed time.
But King's Fund health and social care fellow Penny Banks said this would make a bad situation worse. 'It will put pressure on social services and older people to accept whatever's available, however inappropriate, and undermine all the efforts to improve partnership between health and social care.'
Burstow predicted that emergency readmissions would rise further, as local authorities try desperately to avoid being fined. He blamed care home closures for the steep increases in some areas.
Glenys Jones, spokeswoman for the Association of Directors of Social Services, told Public Finance: 'We need much clearer guidance, and ringfenced money, for community health investment. We've got this for intermediate care now, but that lasts only for six weeks. Without this, discharge policies won't work.'
The DoH acknowledged that there had been a rise in NHS readmissions for all ages, but said the target for 2002/03 was that there should be no rise in the rate for over-75s. 'The government is providing record levels of funding for social services,' a spokesperson said. 'Local councils will be encouraged to use some of this 6% increase to stabilise the care home market and fund home care services for older people.'
PFjun2002
