Report reveals over 50s are not receiving their full NHS care entitlement
Older UK adults are not getting all of the basic NHS care they are entitled to, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.
According to the report, Self reported receipt of care consistent with 32 quality indicators, which contains the results of a survey of over 8,600 people who qualified for items of indicated care, the percentage of those receiving care for conditions they were eligible for varied from 29% for osteoarthritis to 83% for ischaemic heart conditions.
The journal reported: "Shortfalls in receipt of basic recommended care by adults aged 50 or more with common health conditions in England were most noticeable in areas associated with disability and frailty, but few areas were exempt. Efforts to improve care have substantial scope to achieve better health outcomes and particularly need to include chronic conditions that affect quality of life of older people."
Dr Nicholas Steel, senior lecturer in primary care at the University of East Anglia and one of the authors of the report, said the disparities were due to recent efforts in tackling conditions with high mortality rates: "The general medical conditions, including ischaemic heart disease, have been subject to major national guidelines such as national service frameworks and have been the focus of quality improvement activities in primary care trusts.
"Arguably, barriers to implementing evidence based practice for geriatric conditions, including osteoarthritis, are greater, despite the national service framework for older people, than for the high mortality conditions that are the focus of much medical practice, and the clinical skills required for these conditions may be less well taught to doctors."
It was noted by the researchers that the uptake of care for general needs was higher (74%) than for geriatric conditions (57%).
The report covered public and private healthcare.
