Age discrimination in the NHS ‘will be tackled’

The NHS will clamp down on cases of age discrimination against its patients over the coming years, it has been asserted.

Health secretary Andy Burnham is set to make a speech relating to the implementation of the forthcoming changes to the equality bill, which states that the NHS has to comply with age discrimination regulations by 2012.

This follows a report earlier this year from the Royal College of Psychiatrists which found that thousands of individuals aged 65 and over are being denied access to mental health care due to imposed age limits on services, the Telegraph reported.

Charity Age Concern has also repeatedly raised the issue and put pressure on the health service to change the situation.

Mr Burnham will state: “As we live longer and as the NHS helps us live longer, we have to look at different ways the NHS can help older people.”

This news comes after the Department of Health launched the National Strategy for Liver Disease this week in a bid to tackle rising cases of the condition in the UK.