SIR – In response to the Care Quality Commission’s findings that one-in-five hospitals are failing to make appropriate provision for older patients, the Minister of Health has said that “unnotified” inspection visits (by NHS officials!) will be increased in order to resolve the problem.

Without a change in the system, there will continue to be fewer safeguards for older patients than those given to people detained in police custody.

There are currently volunteer ‘independent custody visitors’ who regularly visit custody suites without appointment, and interview detainees in order to satisfy themselves that their treatment is up to the regulation standard required. Weaknesses are referred to a senior officer who takes whatever corrective action is necessary. It is a system that works well.

Groups of volunteers could be trained and appointed to visit hospital wards, without notice, and speak to (particularly older) patients and refer complaints to the appropriate manager or even to the hospital authority.

A similar system of inspection in hospitals to that in place for police cells would be cost-effective, be pursued by local people with a genuine interest in patient care, and to the benefit of vulnerable patients giving them no less protection than that given to alleged offenders in police custody.

Joe Froggatt, Honley, Holmfirth