UK: One in five elderly denied long term care
One in five elderly people have been wrongfully denied free care, according to a Government review of the system.
The shocking figure emerged as Downing Street pledged to eliminate the’postcode lottery’ for those who need continuing care on the NHS.
But the figure was quickly dismissed by a leading charity as “just the tip of the iceberg”.
Gordon Lishman, director-general of Age Concern, said: “TheGovernment has revealed that ‘only’ one in five of those who shouldhave got continuing care have not got the money they should.
“This amount of people negatively affected is an abomination and, unfortunately, these figures are just the tip of the iceberg.
“These new criteria will not succeed unless there is an attitudeshift within the NHS to recognise that people who need long-term caremay still be the responsibility of the NHS and so must be fundedaccordingly.”