Parliamentarians call for a new deal for older people » Housing » 24dash.com

Parliamentarians have today called for a new deal for older people to recall services from the brink of collapse and give people back certainty that they will be cared for in later life.

An inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Local Government Group found that the current system is in financial crisis, and that as we face an economic downturn action and a rapidly ageing population, action must be urgently taken to radically re-shape how we think about later life and how we provide for it. It proposes a radical shake-up that would break down boundaries between councils and health, and between the public, private and voluntary sectors, with the basic aim of ensuring everyone in the country can expect the same kind of services, and have a single place to go to access them.

The report, Never too late for living, comes ahead of the governments own recommendations for care for older people which are due for publication next spring.

The cross-party group inquiry, which is supported by the Local Government Information Unit, was launched in March.

Clive Betts MP for Sheffield Attercliffe chaired the panel of parliamentarians which included Phillip Dunne MP, Lord Hanningfield, Jim Dobbin MP, Joan Humble MP and Baroness Greengross.

Clive Betts MP said: "This report comes at quite a critical time: clearly society as a whole is not delivering for older people in many cases. It is right that local government take a lead to deliver a new vision to make a difference to people's lives."

The report is significant because it represents consensus arising out of a diverse range of players across sectors, not only a large number of local authorities, but local and national voluntary sector agencies, private sector providers, central departments and older people themselves.

Just tell me what I need to know

Overwhelmingly, the report found that older people are suffering from a confused system that people dont understand, and which doesnt offer the right things. The report calls for central and local government to agree a new deal that sets out a national commitment alongside a single source of information, coordinated by the council, where people can go to find out what is available to them, not just from the public sector, but from local businesses, charities and community groups.

We cant do this on our own

The report says that public perceptions about ageing need to change so that the lives of older people are thought of as our lives not their problem.

It says: Central government should lead this change nationally by tackling the current crisis which is impeding progress. Local government should lead locally, by providing services which bring people together, particularly across generations. Publicly funded media should support this by raising the profile of the current challenges, opportunities and collective responsibilities surrounding ageing.

We need to use scarce resources where they count

It also calls for a greater focus on preventative care so that less money is spent on costly hospital stays and treatment. The report advocates creating a system so that councils who can show that investing in keeping people fit and well saves the NHS money, can claim that money from the NHS to spend on preventing illness.

LGiU chief executive Andy Sawford said: Everyone working in this area knows we need to prevent illness, not treat it. This means paying for exercise classes to avoid paying for operations, but it consistently fails to happen. We need to give councils the tools to move the money or things will never change.

We cant afford to manage services separately

The inquiry also calls for a staged process to break down the artificial barriers between health and social care services. It found evidence that many local areas are already forging ahead and that this inevitable merger should be accelerated. The commissioning of local services for older people currently done by primary care trusts should move into the local authority.

Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, said: Fragmentation of services is a genuine burden for older people. We need health and social care, and a much wider spectrum of services, to work as one. To achieve this we need to increase democratic accountability, and the way to do this is through the elected mandate of local councils.

We need to get a grip on what older people actually need

The report comes in the middle of the Governments consultation on the future of care funding. The report criticises the narrow focus on health and social care and says that we must look at what really matters to older people. Big issues for older people are about housing and transport, and any reform needs to address these as much as health and social care.

It should be easier for older people to move home to free up equity, be closer to grown children or live somewhere that is more accessible, and it should also be easier for people to stay in their own homes by adapting them.

The report follows the publication of the Audit Commission report on older peoples services Dont stop me now, which found that councils were struggling to meet the demands of an ageing population, and reinforced the message that the system needs urgent reform.

ENDS

For further information contact LGiUs media manager Jennifer Sprinks: 020 7554 2858; Jennifer.sprinks@lgiu.org.uk
Notes to Editors
The LGIU is an authoritative and informed source of comment, information and analysis on a range of local government and public policy issues. A local authority membership-controlled organisation, LGIU members include Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councils. The LGIU shares its expertise with government and campaigns to extend local authority best practice, freedoms and responsibilities. The LGiU was awarded Thinktank of the Year 2008 by Public Affairs News. Previous LGIU news releases and statements can be viewed at www.lgiu.gov.uk