Free helplines installed in UK hospitals improve access to support for older people

With nearly 12 million people aged 65 and above in the UK there is an ever increasing need to find ways to support and make life easier for the elderly population. [i]

A report published in November 2016 by NHS Digital stated that hospital admissions in England rose to record levels in 2015, with patients aged 65-69 making up the single largest group of patients with some 1.3 million admissions in 2015-16.[ii]

Age UK, the country’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life, has confirmed that in 50 years there are projected to be an additional 8.6 million people aged 65 years and over – a population roughly equivalent to the size of London (ONS, 2018k). [iii]

With this in mind it is important to remember the added support and care the older generation are likely to need when they are a visitor or patient in hospital.

Infopoint is the UK’s leading supplier of free phone help points and has been providing a unique service to hospitals and primary care providers across the UK for more than a decade. They offer free access to helplines, taxi companies and many more services.

Examples of the free helplines included on phone points in hospitals to assist older people include:

• Age UK and Age Concern
• Taxi services
• Traveline
• Carers’ Support
• Alzheimer’s society
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• National Blood Service
• NHS 111

Infopoints are highly visible, simple push-button units which are easy to use for elderly patients.

Following the installation of the help points, Infopoint provides regular usage reports, immediate support and assistance, and the ability to redirect calls to alternative numbers if any lines are down.

 

[i] Age UK later life UK fact sheet (May 2019) retrieved from https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/later_life_uk_factsheet.pdf

[ii] NHS Digital (9 November 2016) retrieved from https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news-archive/2016-news-archive/hospital-admissions-hit-record-high-as-population-ages

[iii] Age UK later life UK fact sheet (May 2019) retrieved from https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/later_life_uk_factsheet.pdf