THE care of the elderly in hospital has come in for severe criticism in a major survey carried out in Herefordshire.

More than 700 people were asked to comment on a wide range of issues affecting their health and welfare at the moment, and their hopes and fears for the future. But it was the topic on general hospital care that produced the biggest response.

There were complaints over the use of mixed wards, fear of being put into a geriatric ward, poor food and little help for those unable to feed themselves, long waits for bedpans, no physiotherapy, too much use of catheters and the hard of hearing being treated as senile.

The survey, one of the first of its kind in the country was requested by Herefordshire Health Authority and carried out for Age Concern, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

It was ordered following the publication of the Government's National Framework for Older people which aims to set new standards and to eliminate discrimination by age. The task, over eight months was undertaken by Gussie Hearsey, local project officer who said she had an overwhelming response from all over the county.

On balance the survey did identify that such discrimination existed place but it was the section on general hospital care that came out as the 'big one'.

In her comments Mrs Hearsey said it was not major things that went wrong, but smaller ones that often matter most when people are feeling ill, isolated and frightened.

"It would also seem that the people who are there to bring help and succour to people who are ill, are also usually blamed for the fact that they (patients) hate the place, are frightened of the people who run it, and feel totally unimportant and uninvolved in the process of their own health care and any attempts at recovery.

"I am really sorry about this, but nursing care, auxiliary care and food will be very much beaten up in this chapter. And liaison and inter personal relations techniques within the health care sector will also be rather bruised.

"I can't help this because the overwhelming majority of comments reflect this view,'' said Mrs Hearsey.

But she pointed out it was important to remember that because there were no major specialist centres in Herefordshire some of the comments could reflect experience in hospitals outside the county.

In other parts of the report are accounts of people being unable to walk, or wear shoes for lack of chiropody care, of others feeling 'written off' due to old age, too many different people asking the same questions over personal matters and a call for more support for stroke victims.

There was cynicism over talk of intermediate care some thinking it was a ploy to keep people out of hospital, or discharge them too quickly.

Copies of the survey and report are being circulated and a copy has gone to health minister Jacqui Smith.

l Turn to page 4 for report analysis and page 11 for editorial comment.