NATIONAL CONFERENCE SPARKS DEBATE ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OLDER PEOPLE

The original goals of the Partnership in Action discussion paper published by the Government in 1998 were to begin the process of enabling health and social care services to work more closely together. Nine years on, true partnership still only occurs in pockets of excellence around the country.

This summer a major conference supported by the Department of Health and Counsel and Care, the national charity getting the best care and support for older people, their families and carers, will discuss some of the innovative ways in which the health and well being of older people can be improved by moving the focus from partnership towards integration of services through Local Area Agreements and by making more use of the third sector.

From Partnership to Integration: Lessons from Securing the Health and Well-Being of Older People will feature a range of high profile speakers, including Ivan Lewis, Care Services Minister, and Anne Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. An older person will also give a case study at the conference.

Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, who will chair the conference, said:

“Older people are by far the biggest users of health and social care services in Britain. But to what extent are they truly engaged and empowered to obtain the best from those services? This conference will look at ways in which services can be commissioned in a smarter way to ensure that the needs of all older people – as well as their families and others who care for them – can be met in a holistic way.

“Despite legislation and other initiatives to encourage partnership working, there is still a health and social care divide. We need to spread best practice and engage more with the third sector in order to come up with a plan that ensures that older people in the future can avoid repetition and receive well balanced, co-ordinated health and social care services closer to home.”

From Partnership to Integration: Lessons from Securing the Health and Well-Being of Older People is organised by Neil Stewart Associates, and will take place on Wednesday 20 June 2007 at Prospero House, London SE1. Media partner for the event is Policy Review magazine http://www.policyreview.co.uk/ For further details and to register, visit www.neilstewartassociates.com/sh228