LibDem MEP takes fight to end neglect of old people in long term care to European Commission (Stone Liberal Democrats)

Stone Liberal Democrats <info@stonelibdems.org.uk>

LibDem MEP takes fight to end neglect of old people in long term care to European Commission

October 13, 2009 12:36 PM
Originally published by Liz Lynne MEP

Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has taken the fight to end the scandalous neglect, discrimination and mistreatment faced by many older people in long term care homes to the European Commission in Brussels.

Liz's move follows revelations that as many as seven out of 10 care home residents are being given the wrong drug treatments and have problems in accessing a GP, according to a government investigation reported in the journal Quality and Safety in Health Care.

The West Midlands MEP has tabled a priority written question to the European Commission asking for it to immediately investigate what prescription guidelines for long term care are available in other Member States and whether any best practice can be identified.

Liz is Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee and was recently the Parliament's Co-Rapporteur for proposed new EU legislation to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of age in access to good and services, including healthcare. She has worked closely with charities such as Age Concern to win fairer treatment for older people.

Liz Lynne said: "My fear is that last week's news coverage is only the tip of the iceberg. We are only starting to uncover the scandal of neglect, mistreatment and discrimination faced by so many older people receiving healthcare.

"All too often older people are denied access to basic medical attention and face age related discrimination, the prescription of unsuitable medication and incompetent dispensing, all of which damage people's health and will no doubt cost lives.

"The treatment of some older people in long term care in our country is so bad it defies the basic human rights that many of us take for granted and upon which the European Union is founded."

"We need proposed legislation at both UK and EU level to ban age based discrimination in access to goods and services, including healthcare, to be agreed as soon as possible. We must ensure treatment is delivered on the basis of an individual's needs instead of their age.

"There is a huge potential for the UK Government to learn from other EU countries where standards of care are widely perceived as being much higher.

"I want to see action including the identification and better sharing of best practice and the development of an EU wide code of conduct for the treatment of older people in long term care which respects the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights."

ENDS

Notes:

Parliamentary Question to the European Commission.

What information does the European Commission currently hold on guidelines governing the prescription of medication for older people in long term care in different EU Member States?

If that information is available, has the Commission identified any examples of best practice in any Member States regarding prescription guidelines?

If there is little information available, bearing in mind recent reports in the UK regarding the medication prescribed to older people in long term care, will the Commission be willing to take forward an analysis of differences in treatment and standards across EU member states as a matter of urgency?

More generally, has the Commission done research into the extent of age based unfair discrimination in the provision of healthcare, particularly for older people in long term care?

What is the Commission's view on the need to keep health within the remit of the proposal for a directive to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief outside of employment, currently being considered by the Council of Ministers?