Are radical changes to health and social care paving the way for fewer services and new user charges?

From Community to Meta-Community Mental Health Care

“…In the UK, the number of beds for long term residential care is now at the highest level it has been since 1972 [ 10 ]. In part, the increase in beds probably reflects population growth and increasing numbers of people reaching old age, including those suffering from dementia.…”

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“…This is in-keeping with wider UK trends in predominant privatisation. 25 Care homes for older people have lower weekly charges than other services and this may refl ect the use of a National Care Home Contract rate for older people agreed by local authorities and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. 26 The majority of admissions come from hospital (46%), despite national policy directives advising against new care home admissions from acute settings.…”

People's health and the social determinants of health

“…At the Bangkok meeting, the accounts of the health situation from our regional co‐ordinators around the world make it clear that the messages from work of the Commission have not been heard by policy actors. In terms of daily living conditions, we have heard of the increasing commercialisation of health services globally including the UK National Health Service and the decline and threats to existing social protection measures. We held much discussion about the growing power and wealth of Transnational Corporations, their impact on health and the absence of a transparent and mandatory global regulatory framework.…”