Healthcare revolution is needed to meet demand
Friday 15th April 2011, 2:30PM BST.
Nurse Cherie Norman wheeling a drip stand to a patient on Giffard Ward in the PEH. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1123763)
HEALTHCARE needs radical reform to cope with the changing needs of Guernsey’s ageing population, according to Health and Social Services.
The department’s future 2020 vision, which is published in the Billet d’Etat today, said that the way the service was currently operating was unsustainable.
It estimated that health and social care related issues costs the island’s economy £300m. every year, 60% of which is funded by the States.
But because of the rate of healthcare inflation coupled with reduced income from tax and higher demand for services as a result of the ageing population, meeting that cost would become more difficult.
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I don’t feel that the aging population is the real issue. The bigger picture is that all ages are taking less responsibility for their own good health and well being increasing the burden on the State to fix them.
The problems will increase as the current generations under the aging banner get older, as it is this area that looks to take less responsibility for own good health.
The real big hit costs will come when the lower age group that is obese/over weight today reaches retirement age. The Western Diet of over indulgence is pretty corrosive to overall health.
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@Guern abroad. You are right. In fact you have hit the nail squarely on the head. The ‘aging’ population is indeed not the real issue here. Quite frankly i’d go a step further by stating that blaming the elderly for everything to do with ‘poor health’ is nothing more than a cop-out. One has only to take a look at the western ‘fast-food’ world in general and you will see obesity in every age group. In fact, from what I see, the aged are the least ‘obese’ of the population! Look around, note who has a ‘pot belly’. A pot belly is one indication of where your health is at (or where it is going!) A healthy BMI (‘body mass index’) is about 24 to 25 which means that for a male your waist measurement should be round about 35 inches, for a female about 31 inches. When a male/female waist measurement rises above those figures you are placing yourself in a high risk zone for all manner of illnesses in the near and distant future.
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While there is evidence that our society does have an ageing population that will put strain on our ability to service our people adequately with taxation, I would be interested to know what evidence there is that our healthcare needs are increasing at an alarming rate due to ill health. Modern society brings with it new medical worries, I admit. But we are also see out old ones. Data please posters!
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More money needs to be put towards the Mental Health Services as well.
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