Patient body needed to protect elderly - solicitor

Healthcare accessA new body similar to the Patient Safety Authority in Britain is required to protect elderly people accessing healthcare, a medico-legal conference has heard.

Ann O'Driscoll, head of medical litigation at Hayes McGrath Solicitors, said revelations surrounding care of the elderly showed "gross under-reporting and investigation of serious risks and adverse clinical outcomes".

She said the issue applied across the healthcare sector and a patient safety body to establish and monitor national standards of clinical care was needed.

Asim Sheikh, a barrister, said legislation enforcing standards in nursing homes needed to be strengthened. To protect patients, doctors must realise consent is a communication process between patient and doctor, not just a signed form.

"The issue of consent is overarching. The courts are also clearly saying the age of doctor-knows-best is now gone. With every adult patient there must be a presumption of capacity."

Shaun O'Keeffe, consultant geriatrician at Galway University Hospital, said there was a problem with overuse of physical and chemical restraints on elderly patients.

"I would say in Ireland, like other countries, 50 per cent neuroleptic drug use is inappropriate, based on US criteria governing these medications. The problem is managing people with behavioural problems because there are so few specialist beds."