Dying waiting

Delays in accessing health and social care can have serious consequences.  Our emergency services have been in the news recently because people might wait for hours for an ambulance, for days to get a GP appointment, or months and years for a surgical procedure.  Those NHS waits are more often in the news than the stories about waiting for social care.

“Policy changes and system reforms might be on the way, if there is a change in government and more money is put in the system via taxation.  But in the face of the need for urgent reforms, there are people who cannot wait for the next election or budget round.  They need help now.”

The reasons for delay are many.  Journalists invite me to say that it is all about money.  Money would help, but an even bigger problem is people not understanding the system, and miscalculating what it is good for.  Infrastructure issues send old people in need of care to hospital, instead of sending them directly to a care home. Time spent in hospital can accelerate deterioration in health and independence, and diminish quality of life.

Shortage of staff and bureaucratic hurdles can get in the way of caring for frail older people who fall in the gap between health and social care.  Policy changes and system reforms might be on the way, if there is a change in government and more money is put in the system via taxation.  But in the face of the need for urgent reforms, there are people who cannot wait for the next election or budget round.  They need help now.

So it’s important to think ahead and familiarise yourself with the health and social care system before you have to navigate it in a hurry.  You may get some new information on this website. Reading what you can and talking to others is important.  If you are a carer, your local carer’s group will have intelligence on where the local pitfalls are, so that you can save yourself time and tears.  The last thing you need is to be contributing to the toll of people who are dying while waiting for care.