NHS

Blimey kitty you’ve let the latest report sink in, I do so agree with you. It’s just a pity that the government is kicking it into the long grass.

"Caroline Abrahams, a director at Age UK, said: “It is shocking that more than 1 million older people suffer from or are at risk of malnutrition in our country. It is a huge hidden problem in our communities.

“There are many reasons why people become malnourished – poor health can make it harder for people to shop and cook, many lack the help they need at home to eat and drink properly, and for some, loneliness, isolation and depression may mean they simply lose motivation to eat well.

“Many of these people will eventually come into hospital or a care home – in fact, nearly one in three of all older people admitted to hospital are already malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. It is vital that they get the additional help and support they need to eat and drink while they are able.” "

Today's news.

Imagine how many people would die, too.
I presume you are aware that some elderly people come out hospital more malnourished than when they went in.

I can't help thinking when people are in hospital they should buy their own food. The NHS is supposed to offer medical services not a B&B. Imagine how much would be saved if NHS stopped providing food.

IMO, the NHS needs rethinking to make it fit for today's world. It needs to be made independent from government, run by a cross party committee with guaranteed income and increases so planning can be put in place to cope with advances in medical science and changes in the population.

Health and Social care should be integrated - they are not and never can be separate.

Older people who can afford it should not get free prescriptions or WFP nor should they get free bus passes. Those that can't afford to do without these should be subsidised.

Whoops, two threads on this now.

I suppose no-one knows but things can't go on as they are. The government must get its priorities right and give it some more money. Having said that, I suspect there is room for improvement in the way goods and services are procured by the NHS. Remember the vastly expensive single pot of moisturiser recently supplied by Boots? It might also be beneficial to look closely at the high salaries paid to some NHS managers.