howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
this sounds like a promising plan, whether the money is enough to finane it would be another question.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/02/fund-old-patients-leave-nhs-hospitalsGuest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
It does sound good as you say Howard, but it really will depend on the money being allocated - every one gets better quicker, when their at home.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
add to that roger if one is close to ending their days, much better in their own bed than in a hospital with bored staff.
anyone who has ever spent a night in hospital knows the chance of getting uninterrupted sleep is minimal at best.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I can vouch for that.
Roger
Excuse my cynicism.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
are you referring to the amount of money set aside bern?
it doesn't sound a lot, any money invested in this could prove to be a saving in the grsnd scheme of things.
Its just under £800,000 per council , the population of Eastern and Coastal kent PCT is over 65 is 258, 200
( office of national statistics estimate year ending 2010) the occupancy of hospital beds by the over 65s is approx 40 to 50 % . Its not a lot of money to free up hospital beds when spread over the county . Factor in admin costs and a minimum of £15 per hour for the total cost of a carer , and that this money isnt new money but must be found from cost savings within the NHS it dosnt look as good, especially when the two local units that had step down beds Cornfields and Sampson Court have now been closed ( there are some funded beds in Residential homes )
Then when the fact that there is no financial penalty for the prolonged stay in general beds by people who are needing a placement for thier mental health needs ie dementia once the physical cause of thier hospital stay has been stabalised and it looks even worse . Its a good headline but very little will change
I have to agree with every single word. Sadly.
Is that due to the content or the fact that its me Bern
( only joking )
In my opinion it started when Social care and NHS care split , the deviding line is so grey and I have seen more resources tied up in endless assesments to prove to either side that it is or isnt thier job to fund care , in the end the time and cost of all the professionals involved becomes more than the cost savings of delaying the decisions . Another unforseen consequence is that when a person is in an NHS bed the cost is born by the Health budget whereas the cost of home care or a residential home bed comes from the Social services budget , so it saves money for social services if people with some needs are in a hospital bed. And likewise if a person is not admitted to Hospital it saves the Hospital cash as the cost of care is then born by Primary health services ( GP and Community teams ) and social services
It has been thus for years - only when the pot is the same for "health" and "social" care will there be any parity. What ever happened to holistic care and support, and joined up thinking? I have been around for about 150 years and the conversations are the same now as when I started out.
Bern you do yourself a disservice its only 125 years surely
I like to create an air of mystique..........
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
I keep getting to the point where I keep telling myself I must stop being so suspicious and wary about all things promised by this coalition.
When I read the link and the first few posts on here I very nearly capitulated and was about to praise them for thinking about the elderly.
Thanks Sarah P and Bern, I wish you were wrong but believe you are right.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i think we were all encouraged gary, always better to listen to those who are at the coalface to understand what goes on in practice though.
hopefully we will all be proved wrong in our doubts and we will leave our mortal coil in the comfort of our own homes.
It is us at the coalface who struggle to make things better. Just because it is the right thing to do.
I suspect SarahP would agree that we can only do that by knowing our onions and facing the facts! To balance the gloom, there are many people who are aiming for the same thing. Nil desperandum! Lots of us have the committment to keep the conversations going.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I wish you and Sarah P good luck - and that good luck extends to us oldies too !!
Sounds like a quick heart-attack at around 85, sitting at home watching repeats of some old comedy show, is the best way out: die with a smile, but make it quick.
Roger
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Bern.
The word you used, that I believe is at the centre of all our problems is Balance. The only other word I would add to that is common sense (2 words).
Contrary to what some believe on here, the majority of people in this country are not against the wealthy, they do not think profit is a dirty word and they could even put up with the "pigs at the trough" so long as the balance was right.
The Health of our people, especially our elderly should be dealt with in a compassionate manner and not a business manner. The money to deliver that compassionate manner should not be based on Political Agenda; it should be based on mutual agreement by All Parties, working together.
Dying at home should be an available option, for no other reason but for the wish of the individual, or the family. If we cannot do that for our fellow human being, those in charge should hang their heads in shame.
The majority, the common man, of which I am proud to be, just want to go to work on Monday, earn a decent wage to enjoy themselves at the weekend and let the politicians take care of politics.
I know through experience, they would not give a toss what was happening with politics and banks or even unions, as long as they felt they were being fairly treated.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
I do agree Bern , and also with Gary C , the issue is how many of us would be be willing to pay the real cost of care , not the driven down enforced costs that providers are forced tp accept but the real humanitarian based ,best care that people deserve , when the state will only fund a 20 min call to get someone up washed dressed and fed , with no travel time allowed between the visits and council tax payers still say they are paying too much ,
How many of us would be willing to fund the real time needed (about one hour ) for a skilled and motivated person to be paid what they are really worth ( way above minimum wage ) and fund proper training and supervision ( at least 10 days a year ) it soon adds up .
