Care of the elderly must be regulated

YOUR report on the home “care” of the elderly scandal suggests that there is really no end to the horror stories that are lurking awaiting disclosure, the outfall of an inept government driven only by concern for money, either the making or saving of it.

Aine Brady’s response to the RTÉ exposé was to state that the behaviour and practices shown breached in an unacceptable way the trust that should exist between providers of care “be they public or private”.

What this shows is a total misunderstanding of what is liable to happen when the profit motive is introduced into the provision of care for vulnerable people and this lack of understanding has resulted in the state overseeing privatised provision with little or no regulations or a system to enforce any such regulations.

The result is untold suffering being inflicted on the most vulnerable in our community.

The problem that has been created now will require significant resources to put right.

If we are to protect the vulnerable, it will be necessary to put in place a sizeable operation to regulate and supervise this vital part of healthcare.

There is no point in suggesting that the best way to look after the elderly is to do so under the direct supervision and control of the Department of Health and to have the service manned by those interested, in the first instance, in doing some service rather than making money.

That might just get the job done.

Jim O’Sullivan

Sligo