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Quest for Quality: British Geriatrics Society

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Publisher: 
British Geriatrics Society
Date published: 
30 June, 2011
Region: 
United Kingdom
Publication type: 
policy
Featured item on home page: 
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A new report, Quest for Quality by the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), published 30 June 2011, highlighted fact that many vulnerable older people resident in care homes are frequently denied access to routine NHS healthcare because of they live in care homes. The inquiry found many often cannot get access to GPs, therapy services, out of hours services or specialist dementia services such as memory clinics.

 
Quest for Quality calls for national action by the four UK health departments and local action by NHS commissioners, planners and clinical services to improve the quality of NHS support to care homes. The recommendations are supported by a broad coalition of 25 organisations and they call for joint professional leadership from the health, social, and care home sectors, statutory regulators and patient advocacy groups to find the solutions that none of these can achieve alone.
 
It identifies four areas for action:
1.      A health service suitable for the specific needs of care homes residents who often have complex healthcare needs, reflecting multiple long-term conditions, significant disability and frailty.
2.      Residents and their relatives must be at the centre of decisions about their care.
3.      A multi-disciplinary approach involving participation and expertise of all necessary health professionals from primary and secondary care.
4.      A partnership approach with care homes and social care professionals with a view to integrated working between the local NHS and local authorities.
 
 

The report is available at the following link: http://www.bgs.org.uk/campaigns/carehomes/quest_quality_care_homes.pdf

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