What are they up to now?

In their infinite wisdom our political movers and shakers have initiated a Green Paper into long term care but from the information available much of it appears to be aimed at ensuring better integration between the NHS and local authorities. Whilst that is part of the problem, a larger part of the overall issue is the lack of primary legislation identifying what does and does not constitute a primary health care need. That lack of clarity is allowing NHS Trusts throughout the country to set their own goalposts and move them at will, leaving patients without appropriate care for their clinical needs. The evidence for this staring everyone in the face has been provided by Healthwatch, Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman and National Audit Office reports. Our elderly/infirm are being let down by lack of political will to properly address this issue by talking constantly about social care providing care and support, when many thousands may be being denied their rights to full nursing care, through NHS continuing care. From the phrasing used in the proposals for inclusion in the Green Paper it looks as if millions will be spent bringing it ultimately to the statute books, with very little benefit to those who really matter, the elderly/infirm.