Help The Aged Call For Equal Access To Healthcare, UK

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 27 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Denying services on the basis of age "unacceptable"

Responding to reports that an 88-year-old Devon man is paying up to £10,000 for treatment to save the sight in his right eye because the local NHS has refused to pay, David Sinclair, Head of Policy at Help the Aged said:

'All too often, older people must resign themselves to a poorer standard of health care than their younger counterparts, simply because they are older. Frequently, this is the result of age discrimination.

'Some of the most vulnerable people in our society are forced to endure higher levels of pain than is necessary, or poorer standards of health generally, because of the assumption that these are just part and parcel of getting older.

'Older people have a right to receive equal treatment and opportunity in all aspects of life.

'Denying people equal access to services on the basis of their age is simply unacceptable.'

Notes

Help the Aged is currently campaigning to secure a change in the law to outlaw age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services. Please visit here information about 'Just Equal Treatment'.

Right care, Right deal' is the new national campaign launched to build public awareness and support for the need for brave and innovative solutions for the social care system. With the Government indicating that social care is an urgent political priority, and in advance of the expected green paper later in 2008, the campaign combines three of the UK's largest charities working with and for older people and their families and carers, and will urge the government to renew its vision for the future of social care in England. Visit http://www.rightcare.org.uk

Help the Aged is the charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people in the UK and overseas from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. It campaigns to raise public awareness of the issues affecting older people and to bring about policy change. The Charity delivers a range of services: information and advice, home support and community living, including international development work. These are supported by its paid-for services and fundraising activities - which aim to increase funding in the future to respond to the growing unmet needs of disadvantaged older people. Help the Aged also funds vital research into the health issues and experiences of older people to improve the quality of later life.

Help the Aged urgently needs donations and support to help it in the increasingly challenging fight to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. Visit http://www.helptheaged.org.uk

Help the Aged