Human rights of older people

Summary

This Report ‘The Human Rights of Older People in Healthcare’ (HL 156-I/HC 378-I) examines how human rights principles can be applied to ensure that older people in hospitals and care homes are treated with greater dignity and respect.

While some older people receive excellent care, there are concerns about poor treatment, neglect, abuse, discrimination and ill-considered discharge. The Committee considers that an entire culture change is needed, and recommends legislative changes and a role for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Witnesses included: Help the Aged, Age Concern England, Alzheimer’s Society, Action on Elder Abuse, British Geriatrics Society, Royal College of Nursing and National Institution for Health and Clinical Excellence.

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Law-Making Explained

This is a House of Lords and House of Commons Paper (HL 156-I/HC 378-I 2006-07): it is a Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Find out more about Joint Committees.

How does it affect me?

If you work in healthcare, or are over the age of 50 or care for an older person, this affects you.

The Report suggests that the Department of Health and the Ministry of Justice should have given proper guidance on the Human Rights Act to health and care providers, and the Committee recommends that these Departments adopt a strategy to make the Human Rights Act central to future policy-making.

Other recommendations include:

Better staff training on human rights principles
The new inspectorate for health, social care and mental health to adopt a human rights framework for all its work
Bringing private and voluntary care homes within the scope of the Human Rights Act
A more robust complaints procedure for care home residents
Promotional work to raise awareness of older people’s rights