93rd review

A society lacking in humanity.

Report by the Health Service Ombudsman into the care of old people in Britain’s hospitals which found thousands of examples of patients who were left hungry, thirsty, unwashed, in soiled clothes and without adequate pain relief. In part, perhaps, it’s function of size, The NHS has 1.3 million employees whose impersonal structures mitigate againsts the development or real bonds between individual staff and patients. Too often the NHS seems focusedon the interests of staff rather than patients. In part, it’s focus on systems, targets and box-ticking which robs staff of the time to talk and care for patients.

But our lack of humanity and compassion to the eldery reflects an increased self-focus in our society in general. Decades of growing affluence and consumption have amplified our desire for individual gratification. Ours is a selfish society, less and less concerned with recognising the humanity and individuality of others. Old people bear the burden of all callousness. Last year almost 9.000 complaints were made to the Health Ombudsman. Of those, nearly 20% were about the care of the elderly.