THE SOCIAL SCRAPHEAP

After a lifetime of toil many workers imagine that at least their twilight years will be spent in some sort of retirement with ease and care - but if they happen to be ill they certainly won't. "Hospital wards caring for elderly patients have up to a third fewer nurses working on them than other wards, research suggests. A survey of almost 1,700 nurses for the Royal College of Nursing found staffing levels on older people's wards was significantly lower than those for other specialties and general medical admissions. Overall, wards for elderly patients had one registered nurse for every 9.5 patients compared with an average of one for every 6.7 patients. One third of the nurses questioned said the staffing shortages meant they were unable to help patients eat and drink." (Independent, 20 March) Having helped to produce all of world's wealth the old worker is condemned to the social scrapheap. RD