There are a number of issues that highlight the Government’s total misunderstanding of the pressure on unpaid Carers. They are planning to add to our load with the NHS implementing a new policy “Discharge to Assess”. The reality will be that the vast majority of patients will be discharged with no support in place and no unpaid Carer’s Assessment. They also want to bring in Non Medical prescribing ie prescribing by someone other than a Doctor or a Dentist. The only coninuity in this activity will be the knowledge in the unpaid Carer’s Head.
So once again no additional support for unpaid carers, no sustainable Social Care System.
If we don’t start to fight back we will be lost and our loved ones will suffer.
I’d not heard about discharge to assess - but here is information about it:
The document includes this information:
MYTH BUSTING
It is the responsibility of all local stakeholders to make sure patients, carers and their representatives understand that this is NOT about:
• Discharging people from hospital before they are clinically ready.
• Discharging people without assessment for services required for their safety at home or another community setting.
• Moving people home from hospital without the right support and without their consent or a best interests decision.
• Creating an additional transfer in a person’s care pathway in order to free up a hospital bed, without adding value to their experience of care or meeting good outcomes for the person.
• Moving people without clear pathways and processes, including an agreed care plan.
• Denying people the right to an assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) if they may have a need for this.
• Charging people for care they should receive free from the NHS.
• Moving costs from health to social care or vice versa.
• Working only with people with low level or special needs.
This part however sounds alarming,
• To be safe if the person is going home, the assessment should be done promptly (within 2 hours), with rapid (on the day) access to care and support if it is required.
and is reliant on teams being set up to do this and the service having the capacity.
Melly1
Melly
Agree that last part does sound unlikely.