Partners in Care Conference

Nursing Older People

- Myth and Reality

Dame Christine Beasley, CBE

Chief Nursing Officer for England

Being Old is Different

•Left untouched by the years

•Feeling as fit as ever

•Unable to detect any signs of old age

Being old is Different – Person-Centred Care for Older People – Marlis Portner

Being Old is Different

•Frail

•Not up to date

•Constantly needing advice

•Forgetful

Being old is Different – Person-Centred Care for Older People – Marlis Portner

Some Key Facts

•71% of people aged 65 and over have a longstanding illness, mostly musculoskeletal problems, heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes, arthritis and emotional/anxiety related problems (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), 2002; Health Survey for England (HSE) 2004, 2005)

•42% of men and 46% of women report that their illness limits their activities in some way (ELSA, 2002; HSE, 2004, 2005)

•More than 3 million people in the UK are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition (BAPEN, 2009)

Nursing Older People

• Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC 2009) states there are three main elements in providing good care to older people:

•People – nurses – competent, compassionate, kind, efficient, effective

•Processes – care which nurtures self-respect and self-worth, work in partnership with older people, families and friends

•Place – taking note of diverse environments – appropriate and effectively managed

What do older people and their families tell us?

“The nurses completed all the discharge forms and told me I would be leaving. I was quite frightened. I was recovering from minor surgery. I am 82 years old and did not know how I was to get home. I asked the nurse if he could phone my daughter. He told me this was not his job”.

(Mrs N quoted in ‘Care and compassion?’ – Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report.)

“Dad was given no evening meal or drink as it was left out of his reach on a table 2 metres away from his bed.”

(‘Listen to patients, Speak up for change’ (Patients’ Association report))

What do older people and their families tell us?

“Firstly I would like to praise and thank the many wonderful nursing staff, physiotherapists and doctors that have helped with the care of my husband David J Perkins. He had previously been at Southend Hospital in February and March for chemotherapy where the staff had been extremely kind and courteous.”

“The treatment she received whilst in the Care Home was exemplary. The team there and the district nurse team did all they possibly could to ease her pain and improve her condition and they deserve the highest praise for their care, professionalism and compassion.”

‘Listen to patients, Speak up for change’ (Patients’ Association report)

What makes the difference?

•“Hearing” the patient’s/carer’s voice

•Leadership

•Recruitment/education/training

•Resources

•Assurance not reassurance

•National focus/support

• The Nursing and Care Quality Forum

• Releasing Time to Care

• Nursing Rounds

• NHS Safety Thermometer to reduce harm to patients

• New approach to patient led cleanliness inspections

Prime Minister’s Announcements January 2012

NHS Constitution

The NHS belongs to the people

• It is there to improve our health and well-being, supporting us to keep mentally and physically well, to get better when we are ill and, when we cannot fully recover, to stay as well as we can to the end of our lives. It works at the limits of science – bringing the highest levels of human knowledge and skill to save lives and improve health. It touches our lives at times of basic human need, when care and compassion are what matter most.