An ageing population is placing increasing demands on the NHS and social services for long-term care. Unplanned changes that occurred during the 1980s have left a legacy that is still posing challenges for those involved.
Older people often experience care services that are poorly co-ordinated. All too often health and social services fail to agree their respective responsibilities, resulting in confusion and sometimes delays to discharge from hospital. Access to information about services is patchy and staff often do not have the flexibility to tailor services effectively. Where initiatives have been taken, the services and choices available to older people have been improved significantly.
The NHS and social services appear to be locked in a vicious circle with heavy emphasis placed on the use of acute beds and care in residential settings, making it difficult to free up the resources for alternative services that might begin to ease the pressure. Both agencies need to work together to devise new initiatives to rebalance services. Health services need to explore alternatives to hospital. Social services need to develop better relationships with independent providers to secure a wider range of quality services.