Independent Age, a charity for those in later life, has launched a new report titled ‘Patiently waiting: Older people’s experiences of waiting for surgery’. The report highlights the challenges for older people in England waiting for surgical procedures, and the impact waiting has on their mental, emotional and physical health. It also features what older people would like in terms of support and information as they wait for surgery.
Waiting times for treatment have been increasing over the past five years. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic made this problem worse. Waiting lists are now at historically high levels, with 5.6 million people waiting for treatment in July 2021.
The issue of waiting for treatment is not unique to older people. However, people aged 65 and older are greater users of elective hospital care than any other age group. Older people are also more likely to have more than one health condition, which can make preparing for and having surgery more complicated. Delays to elective care have a huge impact on the older population.
The research uncovered that many older people are living with daily pain, anxiety and uncertainty while waiting for treatment. Based on Independent Age’s survey, 84% of older people waiting for treatment said that they were in pain most or some of the time, and 47% said the wait had made their mental wellbeing worse.
Only 15% of older people received information on how to manage their pain and symptoms while waiting. This lack of communication and engagement from the NHS often had a significant impact on people’s experience of waiting.
Uncertainty while waiting contributed to low mood and anxiety, and made people feel unsupported. A third of older people waiting for surgery said that having a single point of contact would improve their experience most.
Key recommendations in the report include:
- The development of a personalised care and management plan for all people waiting 6 months or longer for treatment. These plans should be reviewed to adapt to changing needs, including fast referrals for any physical and mental health conditions that emerge as they wait.
- The development of consistent and best practice healthcare before, during and after surgery so that every patient has the best opportunity to prepare for their treatment and wait with less pain.
- Funding for specialist surgical hubs in every Integrated Care System in England, including sufficient funding for wrap-around support such as patient transport to and from the hub.
Please sign and share Independent Age’s petition
To accompany the launch of their report, Independent Age is petitioning the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to give people the personalised support they need to wait well. Please do add your name here to support this vital issue.