The policy of sending older hospital patients to "step down" care in nursing homes is ageist and harmful, the Irish Medical Organisation has said.
Older people need rehabilitation in acute hospital units such as stroke units, the IMO says in its submission for the National Health Strategy.
Five out of every six people admitted to hospital over the age of 75 have multiple medical illnesses or conditions but failure by health planners to recognise this "has led to this ageist solution to send older people to step down care". This, it says, is "a form of second-class care" and "is likely to be a harmful pattern of care for our developing elderly population".
The IMO also says it is "seriously concerned at the dramatic decline in the percentage of the population covered by the medical card scheme".
This has fallen from 37.45 per cent in December 1988 to 30.94 per cent in June 2000.