The government should consider extending the system by which councils are fined for delayed discharges from hospital to older people with mental health problems, psychiatrists’ leaders said yesterday.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists proposed the measure in a report on raising the status and quality of older people’s mental health services.
The so-called reimbursement system was introduced in 2004 and means councils must pay NHS acute trusts a fine for each day a patient spends in hospital because of a lack of social care provision.
The Department of Health is considering whether it should be extended to mental health and non-acute sectors.
Tender for the provision of a dementia and functional illness support service
09 October 2008
Letters, 2 October 2008, Devon brokers: David Johnstone; Rethink, carers, support brokerage, reunion
01 October 2008
Elderly people with depression let down by the system
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Dementia strategy will fail without extra funding says sector
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LGA issues child protection warning about obese children
Details of government consultations
02 October 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
