HL Deb 15 December 1999 vol 608 cc217-9

3.1 p.m.

Baroness Knight of Collingtree

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take steps to investigate allegations that some elderly patients in NHS hospitals are being denied, or prevented from taking, necessary food and drink.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

My Lords, I understand that some of the allegations to which the noble Baroness refers are under police investigation. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further on these. As regards NHS services for older people we are determined to ensure that these are of the highest quality, including the issues of food and drink.

Baroness Knight of Collingtree

My Lords, is the Minister aware that over 60 cases of maladministration against elderly patients in National Health Service hospitals are now under investigation by the police? The Minister indicates that he is aware of that. How long has he known about that? How does he react to the allegation that food and drink are deliberately being withheld from these people because a dead patient means an empty bed? As the police are taking a long time o investigate these matters, will the Minister consider issuing an immediate instruction to NHS hospitals that such treatment will simply not be tolerated?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

My Lords, I cannot comment on the specifics of the police investigation. It would, of course, be quite wrong to have—and we would utterly condemn—circumstances in which older people were deprived of food and drink.

Lord Morris of Manchester

My Lords, has my noble friend, or any of his ministerial colleagues, discussed with elderly people's organisations the Call for Action report co-ordinated by Age Concern and, in particular, its recommendation that the Government should introduce equal opportunities legislation enshrining the principle of age neutrality so that people will no longer be denied access to healthcare or other support or services simply on the grounds of age? Can my noble friend offer any response this afternoon to that important recommendation?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

My Lords, I have seen the recommendation of Age Concern. I make it clear to noble Lords—I have already said this to the noble Lord, Lord Pilkington—that discrimination of any kind in the National Health Service is totally unacceptable. I believe that rather than legislation, the best way forward is effective management of the National Health Service, for which we are responsible. I have already intimated that the Commission for Health Improvement as one of its first priorities will focus on inspecting services for older people in the NHS. The national service framework on services for older people which will be developed next year will, as part of its remit, consider these issues to make sure that the services we provide for older people are of high quality.

Baroness Young

My Lords—

Lord Clement-Jones

My Lords—

Lord Williams of Mostyn

My Lords, I think that it will be more effective if we hear the noble Baroness, Lady Young, first as there is a little time left.

Baroness Young

My Lords, thank you. Leaving aside the question of those patients who are the subject of police investigation, is the noble Lord aware of the extreme urgency of this situation in hospitals? Only this last weekend a terrible case was brought to my attention which concerns a relative of a friend of mine who died of starvation after three weeks in hospital. Is the noble Lord aware that it is not good enough to say that he will await the results of an investigation or an inspection? Does not he agree that this urgent matter requires attention today, not some time in the future?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

My Lords, I can only reiterate that I cannot comment any further on the specific cases which are being investigated at the moment by the police. I have already made it clear that we, as a government, would find it wholly indefensible for food and drink to be withdrawn from older people in the way that has been alleged by noble Lords. Our position is abundantly clear, and clinicians, who ultimately have to make clinical judgments, are well aware of that position.

Lord Clement-Jones

My Lords, I direct the Minister to another recommendation of the extremely important Age Concern report mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Morris. It recommended that there should be a full inquiry into the treatment of older people within the NHS in view of the facts that were uncovered in the report. Will the Minister indicate whether the Department of Health will conduct a full inquiry as recommended?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

My Lords, I have just made clear that the Commission for Health Improvement will be given as one of its first priorities the responsibility of inspecting services for older people in the NHS. I have already made it clear that the national service framework, which, as the noble Lord knows, is an important and fundamental way of developing policy in the future, will be producing work over the next 12 months. I reiterate that we are determined that older people in the NHS receive a first-class quality service. We are opposed to discrimination of any kind. Although older people form 14 per cent of the population, they use 40 per cent of NHS resources.