GOVERNMENT MUST LEAD ON HALTING ELDER ABUSE

Speech by Paul Burstow MP delivered to Alice Wrigley 0207 219 1196 on Tue 1st Apr 2008

Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons today on the subject of elder abuse, Paul Burstow MP said:

"There is still much to be done if we are to expose and expunge the scourge of elder abuse from our society.

"Just 24 hours after this debate was called, I was delighted to learn that three of the issues that I would have raised in today's debate, namely human rights, complaints and research, were being progressed".

The government has announced a new extension of the human Rights Act, and the appointment of an independent adjudicator for those in care homes who are self funded.

Mr Burstow added:

"The devil will be in the detail. Just how independent and how powerful will the adjudicator be?

He went on to say:

"Last years report on elder abuse in the community found 342,400 people over the age of 66 were victims of some form of abuse. This is a stark warning of the scale of the challenge.

"Since 1999 the number of antipsychotic drugs prescribed to people over 60 has risen by 38 per cent. Contrast that with just a 6 per cent increase in the number of people over 60.

"Using drugs to chemically restrain vulnerable older people with dementia is no different to putting them in a straitjacket.

However Ivan Lewis, the minister responding, was unable to give a satisfactory answer to Mr Burstow's questions about responsibility for the prevalence of abuse, and who should be accountable to ensuring the clear guidelines on the use of antipsychotic drugs are followed and that infringements are appropriately dealt with.

Mr Lewis has promised to meet Mr Burstow to discuss the issue further.

Related Link:

Mr Burstow has today publish a report on the over use of antipsychotic drugs in care homes.