title: Primary care. Home truths.
abstract: Charging social services for delays in patients being discharged from hospital is unlikely to result in improved care for older people. A new kind of community support worker dedicated to care of the elderly is needed. These workers could provide sustained support and prevent avoidable admissions to residential care. Care packages should take more account of what service users want. Government focus needs to shift from the management of beds to community resources.
authors.affiliation: Hillingdon Primary Care Trust.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Betts
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019090:Case Management; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom