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Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has claimed more elderly people than ever are being forced into hospital due to a breakdown in social care.
The elderly are bearing the brunt of social care cuts after figures showed a 66% rise in the number of over-90s being taken by ambulance to A&E, Mr Burnham told the Health+Care Conference yesterday [12 June].
Human cost of the A&E crisis
In 2011-12, 275,883 people aged over 90 were affected, up from 165,910 in 2009-10.€œThis is deeply troubling new evidence of the human cost of the A&E crisis,€ Mr Burnham said. €œNobody wants to think of a very frail person who needs support having no other option than to come in to A&E via ambulance.
€œBut there has been a massive increase in the numbers of people aged over 90 going into A&E by ambulance – up by over 100,000, an increase of 66% – as £1.8billion is cut from council care budgets.€
More integrated care for older people
In response, Health Minister Dan Poulter said the Coalition €œrecognises quite rightly that there is a long-term challenge in providing more integrated joined up care to look after older people.€
However, he added that much of the responsibility fell on the opposition who €œfailed to adequately invest in this area throughout its time in government€.