Conservative Government’s Health Cuts See Dramatic Rise in Deaths

As angry demonstrators take to the streets to highlight the effects of cuts to vital services across the county research has highlighted how the Conservative government’s health policy is now lead to a significant increase in in mortality rates. (17th Feb 2017)

An unprecedented rise in mortality in England and Wales, where 30,000 excess deaths occurred in 2015, is likely to be linked to cuts to the NHS and social care, according to research which has drawn an angry response from the government.

The highly charged claim is made by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Oxford University and Blackburn with Darwen council, who say the increase in mortality took place against a backdrop of “severe cuts” to the NHS and social care, compromising their performance.

(The report can be accessed here: Why has mortality in England and Wales been increasing? An iterative demographic analysis.)

The Department of Health (DH) responded by accusing the authors of the paper and accompanying commentary, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine on Thursday, of “bias”.

 

Read more here: http://www.dorseteye.com/north/articles/conservative-government-s-health-cuts-see-dramatic-rise-in-deaths

1.2 million UK people aged 65 and over do not receive the care and support they need

Age UK report calls for urgent action, including cash injection in spring budget and development of long-term plan The government has urged people to care for their ageing parents, to compensate for any social care inefficiencies. Photograph: Tomas Rodriguez/Getty Images/Picture Press RM Social care in England is at risk of imminent collapse in the worst […]

via English social care system for elderly facing ‘complete collapse’ : Guardian. — DWPExamination.

Shock figures show Tory plans are ‘making social care worse’ : Guardian. — DWPExamination.

Flagship scheme to keep elderly out of hospital missing targets and council tax rise ‘too small to alleviate cutbacks’ Tory MP Sarah Wollaston says ministers should act immediately to stop elderly people suffering. Photograph: Veryan Dale/Alamy The full extent of the crisis facing social care is revealed by an Observer investigation which demonstrates the […]

via Shock figures show Tory plans are ‘making social care worse’ : Guardian. — DWPExamination.

Growing scandal of care homes that PUNISH families who dare to complain is exposed after a husband is banned from seeing his wife for three weeks and an elderly mum is evicted : Daily Mail. — DWPExamination.

George Roussell had never spent a night apart from wife Brenda But he agreed she, suffering from MS, would be better off in a nursing home He says he was effectively banned from her bedside because he complained The care home industry is worth around £14.3 billion George Roussell was understandably distraught the day his […]

via Growing scandal of care homes that PUNISH families who dare to complain is exposed after a husband is banned from seeing his wife for three weeks and an elderly mum is evicted : Daily Mail. — DWPExamination.

Home care crisis as more private companies quit: The elderly are being put at risk as firms abandon services, watchdog warns : Daily Mail. — DWPExamination.

The Care Quality Commission said more companies are pulling out of contracts This is because contracts with councils are no longer considered ‘profitable’ Crisis in social care funding means authorities can only pay firms very low rates Elderly residents are being put at risk because private firms are abandoning home care services, the watchdog has warned. […]

via Home care crisis as more private companies quit: The elderly are being put at risk as firms abandon services, watchdog warns : Daily Mail. — DWPExamination.

Care for elderly ‘close to collapse’ across UK as council funding runs out

Theresa May under pressure as doctors urge funding U-turn and cross-party alliance warns millions of people are at risk.

Theresa May is under intense pressure from senior doctors and a powerful cross-party alliance of politicians to avert a collapse in care for the elderly, as shocking new figures show the system close to meltdown.

The medical profession, together with Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders in local government, have demanded a funding U-turn, warning that the safety of millions of elderly people is at risk because of an acute financial crisis completely overlooked in chancellor Philip Hammond’s autumn statement.

read more here: http://www.welfareweekly.com/care-for-elderly-close-to-collapse-across-uk-as-council-funding-runs-out/

Figures reveal shocking levels of winter deaths

Office of National Statistics releases official report

Figures released this morning have revealed that the numbers of Excess Winter Deaths in 2015/16 are still at a shockingly high level. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed that there were 24,300 reported incidents last winter, with those aged 64 and below affected more than in previous years.

The news comes as the Chancellor prepares to give his Autumn Statement this afternoon where he is expected to announce measures to support those who are ‘Just About Managing’, dubbed by the Government as JAMs.

The report shows that the problem was highest in Wales with respiratory diseases proving to be the underlying cause of death in more than a third of cases.

read more here: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/About-Us/News/Figures-reveal-shocking-levels-of-winter-deaths

THIRTEEN MILLION people face poverty in old age, new report : Express. — DWPExamination.

More than 13 million workers across Britain could be heading for a shortfall in the amount of pension they need for an adequate income, according to analysis. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), which released the findings, said minimum contribution rates into workplace pensions should be increased to “at least” 12 per cent to […]

via THIRTEEN MILLION people face poverty in old age, new report : Express. — DWPExamination.

Biggest annual rise in deaths for almost fifty years prompts warnings of crisis in elderly care

England and Wales show a five per cent increase in mortality rates in just one year

England and Wales has suffered the biggest annual rise in deaths for almost fifty years, according to new figures which last night prompted warnings of an urgent crisis in care of the elderly.

 

Health experts last night called for an urgent investigation after statistics revealed a five per cent increase in mortality rates in just one year.

Advisors to Public Health England (PHE) warned of a “strong and flashing” warning light, and said trends over the last four years suggest the rise in deaths may now be the highest since World War Two.

 

They said the elderly were now bearing the brunt of a growing crisis in the NHS and cuts to social care, with women suffering the most.

 

The preliminary data from the Office of National Statistics shows that in just one year, there were 5.4 per cent more deaths in England – equating to almost 27,000 extra deaths.

The year-on-year rise, to a total of 528,340 deaths, is the highest since 1968. There were more deaths last year than any year since 2003. Figures show that numbers of deaths have fallen steadily since the 70s, but that trend began to reverse in 2011.

 

Read more here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/12158930/Biggest-annual-rise-in-deaths-for-almost-fifty-years-prompts-warnings-of-crisis-in-elderly-care.html

Poorest pensioners to lose hundreds of pounds a year in ‘new bedroom tax

Thousands of poorer pensioners will be hit by a new “bedroom tax”, despite the Government’s promises to protect the elderly from the hugely controversial benefit cuts.

They are poised to lose at least £300 a year because their homes will be deemed to be “underoccupied”, slashing their incomes or forcing them to move – away from family and friends, or to flats that are unsuitable for older people.

In some cases, the financial pain will be greater – one housing association has identified pensioners in part of the North who are set to lose a staggering £1,700 a year.

Over time, hundreds of thousands of pensioners will be affected by the little-noticed measure, which extends tough benefit restrictions in the private rented sector to council and housing association homes.

It has been condemned by Labour MP Frank Field, who told The Independent: “Having previously been protected from the viciousness of the bedroom tax, large numbers of poor pensioners now look set to have their living standards cut by the Government’s new strategy.

“My fear is that the great success over the past two decades in countering pensioner poverty could begin to unravel if this stealthy strategy goes ahead in its current form.”

And Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: “Imposing the cap on older tenants will not only cause them anxiety and distress, it is also pointless given the lack of affordable housing options available to them.

“It will create hardship without any significant financial gains for the Government.”

The original bedroom tax was one of the coalition government’s most controversial policies, cutting housing benefit for social housing tenants – but not pensioners – with spare rooms.

Ministers argued that forcing “underoccupying” households to move would free up larger homes for families living in cramped conditions, as well as save £465m a year.

However, it became clear that the vast majority had no smaller homes to move to and suffered steep benefit cuts. One woman confronted David Cameron, telling him: “People have died from the bedroom tax.

read more here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bedroom-tax-pensioners-social-housing-housing-crisis-council-houses-a7340136.html