Wednesday 20 June 2012

Postcode Lottery

Hello readers! (if I have any....) I have been on holiday for 10 days and so have not had a new post up here for some time; I'll get back on it now that I am home again!

Here's one to get you started: I watched an inspiring story on BBC's 'Week In Week Out' programme. It tells the story of Helen and her battle for her mother to receive NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding. Helen's mother, who had severe dementia, was not considered ill enough to receive this until her final hours of life. Helen is campaigning for carers rights in Wales and is working hard at promoting her cause. Helen's story is available to watch on BBC iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jzq1t/Week_In_Week_Out_Helens_Story/ which is definitely worth a watch. Alternatively you can check out the BBC article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18496004

It really made me reflect on the difficulties that health care professionals face when completing assessments which may sometimes affect the eligibility for service-users' care. The director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales, Tina Donnelly, explains that the union was concerned about the tick-box style tools nurses had to use to assess eligibility for free care. This concern can be applied across different areas when completing assessments, and Helen's story highlights how entitlement to care can change (depending on who completes the assessment and the location in which the service-user may reside). It's something to consider in practice.

If you would like to show your support for Helen, you can follow her campaign on twitter @dementia_tch

More posts to follow shortly :-)

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