It's your age

Implementation of those sections of the Equality Act 2010 that ban age discrimination in provision of services has been delayed. This aspect of the Act, which covers health services amongst others, was due to come into force on 1 April 2012, but will now take effect in October this year at the earliest. Meanwhile a report from DH on the impact of patient age on decision-making in oncology warns that "clinicians may over rely on chronological age" rather than pay attention to other factors, such as frailty or co-morbidities. A Europe-wide study on successful ageing notes that health in later life may have a strong connection with socioeconomic conditions in childhood.