Politics Show highlights the problem of ageism in Wales

The BBC’s Politics Show Wales has tackled the issue of ageism in the provision of services by the Welsh NHS and by the country’s care and housing providers. The Welsh branch of the newly-merged charity Age Concern and Help the Aged has described all these services as ‘institutionally ageist’ and has stated that ageism in Wales is rife across both the public and private sectors. The charity’s equalities manager Martyn Jones described to the BBC how some health service treatments were perceived to have an ‘imposed cut off that was based entirely on the chronological age...where perhaps certain services are not delivered to older people.’ Mr Jones went on to comment that the provision of treatments to older people appears to be analysed during diagnosis to see if it is cost-effective to provide the treatment and therefore extend the patient’s life. Both the Royal College of Nursing and the Welsh NHS have vehemently denied the accusations of ageism and reject the implication that clinical decisions are made on the cost-effectiveness of treating elderly people. However, a spokesperson for the Royal College did acknowledge that if people actively think that there is an ageism issue, then that is itself a problem.

You can find out more and watch a video clip from the Politics Show Wales at the BBC website.