Medical Racism and Discrimination
This is leading again to a class, race and Disability divide in the state and forms of care people are receiving. In the CQC's words 'ingrained inequality and the impact on people from ethnic minority groups remains a key concern.' People from ethnic minority groups who have a long-term condition felt they were talked down to about their treatment and were not treated as individuals. They also said a lack of cultural competency was a barrier to receiving good quality care.
These people were also more than 2.5 times more likely to say that staff in the emergency department talked as if they were not there, compared with people in White ethnic groups who did not have a long-term condition.
Waiting Lists
Along the health and care journey, people are struggling to get the care they need when they need it. Record numbers of people are waiting for planned care and treatment, with over 7 million people on elective care waiting lists in June 2023. But the true number of people could be much higher, as some people who need treatment are struggling to get a referral from their GP. Once in hospital, people are facing delays in getting the care they need, and even delays in discharge, which also impacts the current bed crisis we have for people waiting for treatment.
Deprivation of Liberty
The ongoing Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards system is leaving many people stripped of their rights or without legal protections - In 2022/23, the number of applications to deprive a person of their liberty increased to over 300,000, with only 19% of standard applications completed within the statutory 21-day timeframe. This is of great concern for the human rights of patients.
Carers
Assessing carers’ needs is vital. Carers, including many unpaid carers, are a critical part of all local care systems and they are not always getting the support they need – there is variation across the country and many carers are facing financial problems.
Mikey Erhardt, Campaigner at Disability Rights UK, said:
“The latest Care Quality Commission report is a damning indictment of our failing system. Disabled people across the country are being failed by a system that simply does not care.
Care is not something we should baulk at; care is the vehicle for many of us to live a full, independent life. We deserve choice and control over the care and support we need. Care and support enable us to learn, work, have fun, make social connections and contribute to society. It should never be a tax on impairment.
This report must be a red line, which breaks the current cross-party consensus on cuts, and spurs the change we all need to experience.”