NHS pressures mean older people could be putting their health at risk, warns Commissioner

Commissioner wants older people to share their experiences of accessing health services

Older people in Wales could be putting their health at risk by not accessing crucial health services, according to the findings of a survey undertaken by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales.¹

Over 40% of the older people surveyed said they were less likely to visit A&E, try to get a GP appointment, or contact an out of hours GP service due to pressures on NHS services.² The survey also found that 9 out of 10 older people are anxious about the state of the NHS, while over three quarters said they are concerned about social care services.³

The Commissioner is concerned that this means that a significant number of older people may not be seeking medical help when they need it, even in potentially serious cases where a visit to A&E might be required.

The Commissioner has written to the Health Minister to set out her concerns, and has called for action to ensure that older people are not deterred from accessing the health services they may require.

The Commissioner wants older people to get in touch with her office to share their experiences of accessing health services, or the experiences of family members or friends, particularly where pressures on services may have acted as a barrier to someone seeking or receiving treatment.

Older people can contact the Commissioner by phone, letter or email, or via an online form. The Commissioner is also working with key older people’s groups to reach out to members throughout Wales.

Discussing the findings of the survey, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:

“The findings of my survey, which capture the experiences of people aged 60+ living throughout Wales, provide a helpful insight into the kinds of issues older people are concerned about and what this means for people’s everyday lives.

“It’s clear from the findings that there is a great deal of anxiety amongst older people about the current state of the NHS and social care services in Wales.

“It also appears that reported NHS pressures are having an impact on people’s access to health services, with a significant percentage of older people – over 40% – saying they were less likely to visit A&E, try to get a GP appointment or contact an out of hours GP service.

“This is concerning as if older people are being put off seeking medical help when they need it they could be putting their health at risk, whether during a moment of crisis, or in the longer term.

“I know that NHS staff have been working incredibly hard to deal with a wide range of pressures during the winter months, but it’s essential older people are not discouraged from accessing the help and support they need from the NHS.

“I’ve shared my concerns with the Health Minister, Eluned Morgan MS, and have called for the Welsh Government to work with health boards to reach out to older people to provide assurance that services are available and accessible, and that people should contact the NHS if they are concerned about their health.

“I also want older people to get in touch with my office to share their experiences of accessing and using health services, particularly where NHS pressures may have delayed or prevented someone seeking or receiving treatment. This will help me to better understand the particular issues people are facing and identify any specific further action needed from the Welsh Government and health boards.”

ENDS

For all media enquiries, contact Richard Jones on 07515 288271 or email richard.jones@olderpeople.wales

 Notes to editors

1: A total of 503 interviews were conducted with a representative sample of the Welsh population aged 60+ years. All interviews were conducted by telephone using CATI (Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing) technology between 28 February and 17 March 2023.

2: The following questions were including within the survey:

• Thinking about the reported pressure on the NHS in recent months. Has this made you a lot more likely, a little more likely, a little less likely, a lot less likely to do the following, or has it made no difference? – Trying to get a GP appointment. [21% responded ‘less likely’, 24% responded ‘a lot less likely’]
• Thinking about the reported pressure on the NHS in recent months. Has this made you a lot more likely, a little more likely, a little less likely, a lot less likely to do the following, or has it made no difference? – Go to A & E [17% responded ‘less likely’, 27% responded ‘a lot less likely’]
• Thinking about the reported pressure on the NHS in recent months. Has this made you a lot more likely, a little more likely, a little less likely, a lot less likely to do the following, or has it made no difference? – Contact an out of hours GP [14% responded ‘less likely’, 27% responded ‘a lot less likely’]

3: 89% of respondents said they were anxious about the state of the NHS; 77% said they were anxious about social care.