Britain's National Health Service (NHS) wards could see elderly patients die of thirst during the current heatwave, according to Whitehall fixer Louise Casey. Temperatures are forecast to reach 40C (104F) on Wednesday and Thursday in parts of England.
Baroness Casey, who is leading a major review into adult social care in England, issued a stark assessment of the situation for older people. She described the elderly as "unheard," "unseen," and "unloved," and stated that the country has "stuck our heads in the sand" regarding the implications of an aging population.
In remarks to the House of Commons' Health and Social Care Committee, Casey indicated that her interim report, expected later this year, will propose significant changes to the social care system. She mentioned having been in contact with Andy Burnham, who is expected to become Prime Minister and has previously suggested a "national care levy" to replace inheritance tax.
Casey expressed concern that there appear to be no specific targets for dementia or social care in England, unlike some areas of NHS business. She attributed this to the perception that issues concerning the elderly and dementia are "unloved" and lack the same status as other medical or general policy areas.
"I just cannot bear how we seem to have neglected the area of the elderly and how we treat them in society and how we look after them," Casey stated. She highlighted the paradox of increased life expectancy while failing to adapt public policy accordingly. "Because there will be people on wards right now that are so hot, so unhydrated, and will anyone be taking them water to make sure they stay alive today? That's how bad I think it is, and that's how unloved this particular area of policy is."
Casey also cited an example of the disconnect between health and care provision, recounting a nurse's distress over frail patients being catheterized on her ward because it was deemed "not a medical issue, going to a toilet."
Baroness Casey's independent commission on adult social care was announced in January 2025 and began its work in April of that year. While its second phase, focused on long-term recommendations, was anticipated to report by 2028, Casey suggested the overall work might conclude sooner. She also anticipates the government will soon appoint a "dementia tsar," a role she has previously advocated for. Her commission has facilitated two sets of cross-party discussions on social care.