Up to 25,000 elderly people given chemical cosh without medical reason - Burstow

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 15th Jan 2006

As many as 25,000 elderly residents in nursing homes in England could be under sedation without medical grounds, according to a new report published by Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow. The report highlights the Government's systemic failure to safeguard frail older people from inappropriate medication in care homes and the community.

The report Keep Taking the Medicine 3 by Paul Burstow, a member of the Health Select Committee, also finds:

• Over 5,000 care homes failed to meet the most minimal of standards for medicine management last year.

• There has been a 35% increase in the number of non-fatal adverse drug reactions (ADRs) amongst those over 75, and an alarming 83% increase in fatal ADRs amongst those over 75 since 1997.

• Two years after the deadline set by the National Service Framework for Older People, only 8% of PCTs have met the target for all patients over 75 to have their medication reviewed at least annually and only 5% had met the target for patients over 75 on four or more medicines to have six-monthly reviews.

Paul Burstow MP said:

"It is a scandal that as many as 25,000 frail elderly people in nursing homes are being sedated without medical grounds. This is no less than a chemical straight-jacket used by badly run care homes for the convenience of poorly trained staff.

"Care homes are in a powerful position to control the drugs that their residents receive. It is unacceptable that over 5,000 care homes are failing to meet even minimal national standards for managing medicine.

"The Government has turned a blind eye to this for far too long. It has broken its promise to put in place regular medication reviews for all people over 75. Two years after the deadline for implementing medicine reviews too few GPs are conducting regular reviews.

"Getting the medication right for older people can make a huge difference to their quality of life, and can quite simply be a matter of life or death."