OMBUDSMAN FINDS GOVERNMENT HEALTH POLICY IS ABUSING THE ELDERLY
Issued : Thursday 22 July, 2010
"The Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly’s strong criticism of care for older people at the MacGill Summer School this week shows it is Government policy to engage in elder abuse.
"Ms O’Reilly will publish a report in the autumn which shows, among other things, a ‘deliberate failure’ to inform older people of their entitlement to public services leading to years of ‘stress and crippling expense’. Under the HSE’s own definition, this constitutes elder abuse.
"Ms O’Reilly criticism of the long-term residential support scheme, Fair Deal, reflects the experience of many members of the public and the medical profession.
"But rather than address Ms O’Reilly’s shocking conclusions, the Minister has chosen to attack her instead.
"There appears to be no recognition from the Minister that Ms O’Reilly has found that misery is being visited upon the elderly and their loved ones.
"This is because the Minister’s top priority is the pursuit of profits for the private sector hawks who secretly stalk the HSE.
"It is also consistent with the HSE’s policy of evasion which was proven by its attempt in the past year to block publication of an Ombudsman’s report into child care services.
"The description of the Ombudsman’s comments at the Mac Gill Summer School as ‘prejudicial’ by Ms Harney’s spokesman was also profoundly ignorant and an attack on the integrity of her office.
"Ms O’Reilly is an independent officer whose statutory duty is to defend the public interest and her findings are the result of thorough investigation.
"This Fianna Fail-led Government has a track record of showing hostility to citizens’ rights having previously launched an unprecedented attack on the Ombudsman over the Lost at Sea scheme.
"This is the same party that smashed the Freedom of Information Act introduced by Labour when last in Government.
"It is wholly wrong to undermine the Ombudsman who provides an indispensable function in a healthy democracy."
