London Age
Spring 2010
Taking the pain out of local
sports commissioning
page 5
Looking back at local
area agreements
pages 6-7
The Mayor’s health
inequalities strategy
pages 12-13
The right to
good health
Do older people in your borough miss out?
london age • Spring 2010
Top news
A round up of the latest news from
London’s Age Concerns.
1
Fly on the wall
Two older Londoners chat about living
healthily later in life. 2
Getting your borough moving 4
Will the physical activity alliance work for you?
Taking the pain out of local sports commissioning Planning and marketing local sports and
leisure services made simple.
5
Looking back at local area agreements 6
Did they work and what’s next?
Getting London healthy Local projects around the capital.
8
An equal right to good health in London 12
A look at the Mayor’s health
inequalities strategy. User involvement in 14
strategic commissioning
Stephanie Sexton asks ‘whether your health
and social care services are fit for purpose.’
‘More money in your pocket’
Samantha Nicklin talks through Age UK’s
latest campaign.
15
Ask the expert
Gordon Deuchars makes policy simple.
16
In the hotseat
Tony Seagroatt, Age Concern
Enfield’s CEO shares his thoughts about
working with older people. 17
slandrige@aclondon.org.uk.
F
Older people are often left
out of plans to get people
active, but over 65s are one
of the most inactive groups,
with a shocking 80 per cent
of men and almost 90 per
cent of women aged 65-74 Samantha Mauger,
Chief Executive
not meeting government
recommendations for exercise.
Getting active can do wonders for your physical and
emotional wellbeing, and staying fit is a luxury that most
of us should be able to enjoy well into our retirement. So
why are older people being forgotten?
This issue
In this issue we look at some London projects, involving
both local government and the voluntary sector, that are
providing older people with opportunities to stay fit and
active, and hear from older people about the difficulties
they face in trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
We also take a critical look back at local area
agreements and the targets around adult health,
introduce a new tool to help with local commissioning of
sports and activities and provide an insight into the
Mayor’s new health inequalities strategy.
Exercise should be a vital and enjoyable part of
everyone’s life, whatever their age. With the Olympics
approaching there’s never been a better time to get
people out of their armchairs and into London’s parks,
pools and playgrounds.
Any comment on the magazine content or ideas for the
next issue? We’d love to hear from you; contact us at
Welcome to our healthy
living issue.
Samantha Mauger
Chief Executive, Age Concern London
Cliff Chester
Comment
Contents
london age • Spring 2010
You can be LGBT
friendly
Life without TV
A positive picture
of ageing
Camden’s Opening Doors project
for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
A film has been released starring
older people talking about life in
Age Concern Barnet’s 2010
photography competition for 11-19
transgender (LGBT) groups has
published an evaluation report
exploring the key benefits of the
Wandsworth before television,
mobile phones and computers.
One thing I wanted to tell you
year olds focused on challenging
stereotypes and encouraging
positive interaction between
project and its impact on older
people’s lives. Opening Doors –
the story so far, which includes
gives an insight into Saturday
nights out, life during the war and
how health services have changed
generations. In its second year, the
competition has proved a great
way to develop partnerships with
information on how to ensure
your organisation is LGBT
over the years, and includes
archive footage and music from
other organisations and engage
the community. This year’s results
friendly, is available from Age
Concern Camden’s website
ageconcerncamden.org.uk.
the period. Have a look at
wandsfilmrem.wordpress.com.
were announced on 8 July. View
some of last year’s entries at
guardian.co.uk (search for ‘Age
Concern Barnet’).
The Dementia
Carer Award
Sneak preview
Don’t make these
mistakes
Age Concern Enfield’s Parker
Centre was the London regional
winner of the Dementia Carer
Award at the Great British Care
Awards 2010. The Centre went
through to the national finals,
held in June.
Hot off the press we can tell you
that Age Concern London’s
campaigns for the rest of 2010
will focus on healthy living and
care personalisation. If you would
like to find out more please email
gdeuchars@aclondon.org.uk.
Age Concern Brent has worked
with volunteers to produce a DVD
demonstrating good and bad
practice for running sessions with
older people. How to run
workshops with older people is
available, cost £5, from AC Brent
News
Top news
on 020 8965 7711.
Commissioning editor
Sophie Langridge
Cover photo
© Copyright Age Concern
Editor
Jacki Reason
ISSN: 1357-1109
Layout and Print
The Graphic Design House
Contributors
Samantha Mauger, Chief Executive
Sophie Langridge, Communications
and Campaigns Officer
Gordon Deuchars, Policy and
Campaigns Manager
London Age highlights issues which
affect older people in the capital. It
is produced to support Age Concern
London’s mission to improve the
quality of life for older Londoners and
to enhance their status and influence.
Tel 020 7820 6770
Fax 020 7820 1063
Email general@aclondon.org.uk
Age Concern London works across
the capital to improve the quality of life
for older people and to enhance their
status and influence.
Age Concern London is funded by
London’s local councils
www.aclondon.org.uk
Charity registration no 1092198
Company registration no 4407861
1
london age • Spring 2010
Discussion
Fly on the wall
Two older Londoners chat about living healthily later in life
stroke a few years ago but stays active working as a
Is it easier or harder to live healthily now
than when you were younger?
volunteer photographer. Sally is from Camden. She is 69
S: I do eat healthily but I think it’s exercise. It just is very
years old and has had to have both hips replaced. To
difficult to stay in a programme of maintaining yourself and
keep fit she swims, walks and does yoga.
it’s also harder to maintain yourself when you’re older –
Cliff is 64 years old and lives in Hammersmith. He had a
you’ve got to work harder at keeping those muscles fit.
How easy do you find it to live healthily?
don’t feel like doing anything; don’t
feel like cooking. It’s got to be done,
but cooking for one isn’t much fun.
S: I think that’s a real problem of
getting older, particularly if you’ve
“
also played football, rugby, cricket all
I find exercise
incredibly boring;
we need a way to
make it interesting
worked like the clappers all your life
and suddenly you can relax. I had hip
day long and never coughed once.
“
C: Awkward. Some days you just
C: I used to smoke a lot and drink – not heavily – but I
Do you think your local
council could do more to
help you live healthily?
C: I used to go swimming but they’ve
taken the rails away. You get halfway
surgery so I was already slowed down. It was just so nice
down the length and want to rest and there’s nothing to
to lie around and read, I got out of the habit of doing that
hold on to.
hour’s walk a day.
S: I’m not swimming now as much as I used to. I’ve been
Sophie Langridge
hit by people coming barrelling down the pool so I’ve lost
confidence. There are special times for older people to
swim but they might not necessarily be the best times. I
think more facilities need to be provided if you want a fitter
society.
C: Some of these exercise classes can be expensive even
with the concessions, but then again you know they’ve
got to run the buildings and pay the staff so it makes
sense. At the end of the day we’ve got the parks – Hyde
Park and Regent’s Park and others – and a lot of activities
you could do on your own. Just get together, a group of
you, and go for a walk somewhere.
S: So many classes are patronising. The physiotherapist I
saw yesterday said ‘dear’ to me all the time – I had to ask
Cliff Chester
2
her to stop. The best classes are the ones that bring
Cliff Chester
people together to keep fit, have fun and enjoy each
other’s company.
What local leisure or health services do
you use?
C: I use Mind a lot and I use Age Concern but that’s about
it. I used to use the swimming pool but not now – I don’t
trust the water.
S: I went to something through my doctor that was an
active health programme to get people back into fitness.
Through that I’m in a very protective yoga class for people
who’ve had hip replacements or who have physical
problems. The teacher is excellent so I’m really pleased
with that.
What do you think would improve your
lifestyle?
S: That’s exactly it – me too. What is the
most difficult thing for me is that I find
exercise incredibly boring; we need a
way to make it interesting.
“
If you could offer one piece of
I used to go
advice to the nation’s young
swimming but
they’ve taken the people what would it be?
rails away so I
S: Treat your body as your temple,
don’t like it
everything you put into yourself is going to
What do you think about the
government’s recommendations for
healthy living?
S: I think I prove that they don’t make much difference! I
do them but I’ve got the weakest muscles in the world at
“
C: Motivation!
Sally de Sousa
come out and bite you! Just as you have
to teach children to be careful crossing the
road, you should teach fear of things that are truly going to
cause you damage and I think that’s part of education.
C: It’s things you should be doing, and you do to a certain
Healthy living
recommendations
degree but not totally.
• Adults should aim to achieve at least thirty S: The thing about the thirty minutes is that you’re
minutes of moderately intensive activity on five the moment – I can’t even climb up stairs properly.
supposed to get your heart rate up. I certainly think that’s
or more days of the week.
much more difficult. Yes you can walk, go down to the
• Everyone should eat at least five portions of fruit shops or something but that’s not actually getting your
and vegetables a day.
heart rate up.
C: I do a lot of walking, although I don’t know if it’s getting
• Reduce portion sizes and cut down on snacks and fatty foods.
my heart rate up.
3
Discussion
london age • Spring 2010
london age • Spring 2010
Getting your borough moving
News
Will the physical activity alliance work for you?
© Copyright Age Concern
Last year the then government launched Be active, be
healthy: A plan for getting the nation moving. The plan
set out estimates for the health-related costs of
physical inactivity for primary care trusts (PCTs), in the
context of the wider impact on the economy, and
looked at how individuals, employers, local authorities,
PCTs and the voluntary sector can work in partnership
to improve people’s levels of physical activity.
The report built on the Change4Life campaign and set
a target of 2 million more adults active by 2012. One
recommendation was the formation of a physical
activity alliance (PAA), made up from organisations that
share the aim of increasing participation in physical
activity in England.
The alliance
The alliance would bring together private and voluntary
sector organisations from across the three major
domains of physical activity (indoor, outdoor and active
•to develop projects and promotions across the
travel) and add value to the local delivery of physical
physical activity sector that could not be achieved by
activity by coordinating members’ activities and
member organisations acting individually (for
unlocking new resources.
example, using common evaluation frameworks)
•to develop national partnerships to increase the
Its responsibilities would be:
capacity and resources to promote physical activity,
•to provide a single voice for the physical activity
with particular focus on the private sector
sector in England, including developing and
promoting the evidence base for physical activity and
promoting the sector to government, industry and the
public
•to work with established local and regional networks
to support local delivery of physical activity
•to strengthen the impact of physical activity funding
•to undertake discrete national projects commissioned
by the government.
Consultation
An interim steering group was set up to oversee a
sector consultation to understand how the alliance
could best add value and support.
and promotions by coordinating activities and
campaigns (for example, encouraging active ageing)
4
The consultation report, published in September 2009,
•to build upon individual members’ strengths and
outlined the sector’s views about the PAA’s structure
assets to create solutions that offer a range of
and remit and how it should work within the sector.
activities within a common framework (for example,
Funding has been approved and the steering group is
community-based physical activity opportunities for
designing a way forward. For more information see
patients with long-term conditions)
activityalliance.org.uk.
london age • Spring 2010
News
Taking the pain out of local
sports commissioning
Planning and marketing sports and leisure services made simple.
With national guidelines around exercise being pushed
You can then use this information to help you invest
in the run-up to the Olympics, are the leisure services in
efficiently in, and promote, initiatives that meet
your area catering for the over 50s?
customers’ needs.
activity planning tool was launched
by the London Health Observatory
and Make Sport Fun on behalf of
the London Regional Public Health
“
Group.
The toolkit was
fantastic ... it
enabled us to
pick out a
target market
“
In March this year a new sport and
For more information and to download
and use the activity planning tool visit
www.promotingactivity.com
or contact John Ainsworth at
john@makesportfun.com.
The interactive, online tool has been developed to help
councils, health organisations and not-for-profit groups
pinpoint and promote the best places to set up sporting
facilities. It shows where people who are interested in
playing sports live in each borough and allows
organisations to target new sport and physical activity
opportunities where they are needed most.
Case study: Harrow Council
The Championing Harrow team at Harrow Council
used the tool to identify a socio-demographic
group that was performing badly in terms of activity
levels. The ‘Leanne’ group (female students aged
Segments
18-25 in socio-economic class NSEC 5-8) came
It groups the adult population into nineteen segments,
up as a target. The team subsequently designed
developed by Sport England, based on age, gender,
the activity programme ‘Latin jazz – dance your
socioeconomic group and sports participation. Each
way to health’.
segment can be explored at different geographic levels,
making it possible to establish people’s sporting habits
in a particular street, community, local authority or
region.
Information on each segment includes:
Kirsty Adams, Championing Harrow Project
Coordinator says: ‘[The tool] was fantastic in that it
enabled us to pick out a target market. The maps
were invaluable as they ensured that we could
• activity levels, barriers and motivations
concentrate our marketing activity in areas where
• which sports appeal to which segments
we knew that we would be reaching the highest
• how best to communicate with each segment.
proportion of Leannes. This meant that the word
Customers
The idea behind the tool is that it will help you find and
was spread as widely as possible and ensured that
our marketing budget was used in the most costeffective way.’
understand existing customers and attract new ones.
5
london age • Spring 2010
With the current agreements coming to an end and
their future uncertain, Age Concern London explores
how successful LAAs have been in improving the lives
of older people in the capital.
stakeholders to improve services and deliver
sustainable change for local people on the issues that
matter to them.
down into four key areas or ‘blocks’. The health and
health and health and social care
services. Five relate directly to older
people’s health and wellbeing (see
box opposite).
A quick analysis of the thirty-three
Coordinator at The Royal Borough of Kingston upon
Thames and the Kingston Strategic Partnership are
committed to improving the lives of older people and
see the use of LAAs as a mechanism to help us focus
on this. Our experience is that the LAA does help to
focus people on both the issues and improving
In most London boroughs the agreements are broken
one indicators for improving adult
Dean Tyler, Community Planning and Partnership
Thames says: ‘The Royal Borough of Kingston upon
Local area agreements (LAAs) aimed to empower local
older people block contains thirty-
Local authorities’ views
“
performance, although we would like to see more
flexibility and local determination in the way baselines
and targets are agreed.’
The LAA helps to
focus people on
both the issues and
improving
performance.
LAAs in London shows that the
indicators chosen as local priorities from the health and
older people block tended to be those that relate to all
adults rather than specifically older people. These
indicators are obviously also important to older people,
as they relate to the adult population’s health and
wellbeing, mortality rate, experience of social care
services and ability to live independently, but for most
boroughs the five indicators specifically for older people
“
Feature
Looking back at local
area agreements
Alison McLaughlin, Head of
Business Management for Social
and Community Services at Bexley
Council says: ‘The number of older
people in the borough will
significantly rise in the coming
years. We wanted to be proactive
to support them to remain independent, and where
possible support them to die at home. The statutory
agencies and voluntary sector have all had a part to
play in this, and we believe that there has been
successful progress, including the development of
reablement services and the provision of individual
budgets for people to purchase their own care.’
have missed out to more general indicators or those in
Why indicators matter
the other blocks.
There are more than 1.2 million older people in London
and by 2020 more than half the adults in the UK will be
6
Twenty-one boroughs did not include any of these five
over 50. Tackling crime and ensuring the best prospects
indicators in their LAAs and six included only one. Two
for our young people are both vital but boroughs also
boroughs broke this trend – Richmond upon Thames
need to recognise the growing importance of providing
and Bexley each included three of the five indicators.
for older members of the population.
More than a million people over the age of 65 receive
for that reason? All the NIs were drafted so that they
social care services from their local authority but many
would be measurable, and therefore make a statement
either receive poor quality care or do not get enough to
about progress or lack of it. The NIs specific to older
meet their needs. This problem will only increase and
people were particularly challenging, which must have
London boroughs must face this issue now.
affected their lack of take-up and inclusion in the LAAs.
performance framework introduced
with the Comprehensive Spending
Review in 2007 was an imaginative
initiative to link the spending priorities
“
of central government with local
‘The process has undoubtedly been
The decision to
abandon or reform it
is a early call for the
new government
“
Mervyn Kohler at Age UK says: ‘The
Feature
london age • Spring 2010
government. The system has suffered
all the usual growing pains of any new
disappointing, but is it bound to fail,
or can it be improved? It seems a
pity to chuck the whole system
away when it has only been roadtested in one round, but the
decision to abandon it or reform it is
a early call for the new government.’
process. Were the national indicators [NIs] smartly and
appropriately drafted? Probably not in retrospect. Were
local authorities influenced to prioritise which NIs went
Further information
into the LAAs, based on what was achievable and
To discuss these issues further or to find out how to
deliverable? Possibly. Was a judgement made that
make older people’s concerns a greater priority in your
certain NIs were “too hard to do”, and left out of LAAs
borough, email gdeuchars@aclondon.org.uk.
Older people indicators
NI 125 Achieving independence for older people
through rehabilitation/intermediate care
NI 129 End of life care – access to appropriate
care enabling people to be able to choose to die
at home
NI 137 Healthy life expectancy at age 65
NI 138 Satisfaction of people over 65 with both
home and neighbourhood
NI 139 The extent to which older people receive
the support they need to live independently at
home
7
london age • Spring 2010
Feature
Getting London healthy
Projects from London Age Concerns run as part of the
clubs and provide advice and tips on improving diet.
Lottery-funded ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ programme demonstrate
They also organise cook and eat sessions and direct
how to engage older people in healthy lifestyles.
people to local services such as gyms and other
Tackling obesity in Greenwich
Pauline Cahill introduces the Age Concern Greenwich
exercise and cooking classes. Groups regularly involved
in the project include AJODA (African Elders Group) and
Charlton Athletic Football Club.
obesity project.
Tackling inequalities
The obesity project aims to raise awareness of the
The service is targeted particularly at communities in
health problems caused by obesity and provide
areas of deprivation who experience greater health
information and practical help to get people fitter. We
inequalities and are at greater risk of becoming obese
individual to help them increase their
level of physical activity and make
informed choices about their diet.
The project is delivered by a diverse
range of volunteers from different
communities. They are trained in
peer mentoring, health promotion
“
or developing obesity-related
The club is
something that I
would never have
dreamed of coming
to … but I have
enjoyed every
minute of it.
and weight management as well as
“
do this by tailoring support to each
diseases. It has been a major
success, bringing benefits to both
participants and volunteers. More
than eighty older adults have used
the service to date. Feedback has
been hugely positive, with people
reporting marked improvements to
their physical health as a result of
attending the sessions.
healthy eating guidelines and use of food diaries.
centres, sheltered housing units and older people’s
contact Pauline Cahill on 020 8294 3017.
Wendy Smith
For more information visit acgreenwich.org.uk or
Wendy Smith
Volunteers visit groups at locations including day
Charlton Athletic exercise class
8
Men’s Health week
london age • Spring 2010
Feature
Personal care and getting
active in Lewisham
and Southwark
Jacky Bourke-White on Age Concern Lewisham and
Southwark’s healthy living projects.
Age Concern Lewisham and Southwark runs two
healthy living projects that help maintain and improve
older people’s physical and mental wellbeing and
promote an active lifestyle by providing therapies and
activities and links to other services. Anybody aged 55
or over is welcome to participate and currently more
than 450 people use the service every week.
The projects are run from the Healthy Living Centre in
Bermondsey and Lime Tree House in Peckham. The
Lime Tree House project provides a wide range of
activities for older people and has been working in
partnership with black Asian and minority ethnic groups
throughout south Southwark, with a focus on exercise
Age Concern Lewisham and Southwark’s International Day 2010
and healthy eating.
Services
Services at the open access Bermondsey centre
include information and advice, therapies, social
activities and over 300 home-cooked breakfasts and
lunches weekly. Chiropody, nail care, acupuncture,
hairdressing and massage are also offered and the
centre has a dedicated therapy room, an open IT suite
and a quiet room, where films are shown. The main hall
provides a much-needed meeting space for older
people.
The healthy living services are user-led, with users
Case study:
John, 57, from Nunhead
I suffered from depression and felt isolated from
everyone and everything before I joined the healthy
living project. I now socialise more and have a
good laugh with the other members at the project.
I feel lively again. The singing class has helped to
improve my breathing and to reduce my anxiety.
shaping service development to ensure that activities,
I have a feeling of belonging because the staff from
learning and support are tailored to their needs. The
the project telephone to see how I am doing if I do
two projects currently provide forty-two weekly
not attend. I am hoping to increase the number of
activities, including swimming, pilates, tai chi, line
days that I attend the exercise class because I feel
dancing, singing, bowls, gardening, film and book
much better when I do the exercise routines. It
clubs, knitting, bridge and tapestry.
helps reduce my swollen ankle and knee and it
For more information contact Jacky Bourke-White at
also improves my balance and mobility.
Jacky.Bourke-White@acls.org.uk or 020 7701 9700.
9
london age • Spring 2010
Bee Burgess
A question of diet in Newham
Feature
Bee Burgess describes Age Concern Newham’s ‘For
the Love of Cooking’ club.
Many fitness projects attract mainly women but we were
aware that older men are particularly vulnerable to issues
with their diet. Many older men have never had to cook
for themselves or are used to a diet that is high in fat.
The Newham Men’s Cooking Club meets monthly at
Trinity Community Centre, based in East Ham.
Participants prepare and cook meals and discuss all
aspects of cooking: the history connected to a particular
dish, health benefits and adaptations – a recipe for lots
of conversation. The project aims to encourage older,
isolated men to get together in an informal setting to
make new friends and learn new skills.
Open to all
Preparing Christmas lunch
Sandra, the Fit as a Fiddle project officer, is an
healthy adaptations to traditional meals. The project is
experienced cooking tutor with an expertise in making
open to complete novices as well as those who want to
share or adapt their culinary skills, and a range of
Bee Burgess
cultures and backgrounds are represented, including
Congolese, European, Filipino, Caribbean, and Asian.
Learning to cook and adapt a wide range of dishes and
learning new, healthier methods of cooking allows
participants to discuss changes to their diet in a way
that is both tailored to their needs and sustainable.
Advice in the classes has included cooking on a tight
budget. Another outcome of the sessions is an
improved understanding of different cultures,
encouraging cross-community interactions, learning
and friendship.
At Christmas the club cooked lunch for sixteen people,
mostly women. It has also provided catering for other
Age Concern Newham events, giving the participants
a real feeling of achievement and everyone else a
Preparing Christmas lunch
10
tasty treat.
Bee Burgess
london age • Spring 2010
Feature
Case study:
Ahmed’s story
Cooking club member Ahmed Rizwan, age 53, is
originally from Pakistan but has lived in London for
23 years.
I live alone so I was always used to cooking for
myself and I have diabetes so I have to think
about what I eat. I always quite enjoyed coming
up with new recipes and especially doing BBQs at
my house.
I joined the cooking club to develop this hobby
further and because always cooking for myself I
also wanted to have the opportunity to cook for
Christmas lunch chefs
other people. I enjoy practising the new dishes I
learn at home and trying them out on my friends
at dinner parties. My favourite dishes are kebabs,
For more info visit ageconcernnewham.org.uk or call
chicken karahi and trotters, which is a lamb dish. I
Sandra Simmons on 020 8821 0865.
make sure the dishes are healthy by using olive oil
instead of other oils and by cooking with lots of
Bee Burgess
vegetables. I always use green chillies and black
pepper rather than red chillies, as they are better
for people with diabetes. I normally prefer to eat
and serve friends with grilled food as this is
healthier, having very little of fat.
I like learning new dishes and new ways of
cooking but most of all it is important to have the
opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
I have a buddy from the club and sometimes we
go to the West End for a coffee or a snack. I
particularly love to go to a fish bar and my
favourite places to eat are around Leicester
Square and St James Street.
I think lots of people have trouble eating healthily
because they don’t know how to cook or often
because they are just too busy and do not have
the time. Indian food isn’t always good for you but
Anthony Silvane (left) and Ahmed Rizwan
it’s certainly better than junk food.
11
london age • Spring 2010
News
An equal right to good health
in London
A look at the Mayor’s health inequalities strategy
London can and should be a place where everyone is
groups, focusing on the needs of those currently
able to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. However,
excluded from the labour market, and provide
Londoners experience stark and unacceptable
initiatives such as apprenticeships, work placements
differences in their wellbeing and longevity.
and flexible jobs
•introduce workplace wellbeing and equalities policies
The Mayor’s London health inequalities strategy sets out
and enable staff of all grades to be active and valued
the key health challenges facing London and the impact
contributors to services and businesses
of ‘wider determinants of health’ on health inequalities in
the capital. The thirty long-term commitments will be
London Living Wage and help staff and service users
realised through a rolling delivery plan.
access financial and welfare rights advice
Well placed
•contribute to making London a healthier place, taking
action on climate change and other environmental and
London boroughs are well placed to play a major role in
sustainability issues and improving the quality and
reducing health inequalities through their responsibility
accessibility of public places and green space
for health determinants such as housing, leisure and
•develop and aim to deliver high ambitions for all
environmental services, planning, transport and
services intended to improve wellbeing and reduce
education, and their role as ‘place shapers’ (promoting
health inequalities, honestly evaluating progress
the general wellbeing of a community and its citizens).
towards targets and sharing learning
Local government also provides leadership to develop
•develop and deliver integrated solutions to meet the
the local vision for sustainable communities, identify
physical and emotional health needs of children, young
needs and coordinate cross-sector programmes to
people and those living with long-term illness, with an
deliver local priorities via local area agreements.
increased focus on early interventions and better
Voluntary sector organisations have a key role here,
support for parents and carers
both in terms of delivering services and providing the
•focus on supporting people to maintain their
grassroots knowledge about reaching communities that
independence and quality of life, with renewed
experience inequality.
emphasis on promoting physical health, mental
Aims
wellbeing and community resilience (using local
resources and expertise to help themselves in an
Both local government and third sector organisations will
emergency, complementing the response of
be central to achieving the strategy’s aims. The Mayor
emergency services)
calls on leaders of public and community organisations
12
•support initiatives such as implementation of the
•raise awareness of health issues, tackling stigma,
and service providers to:
promoting social inclusion for people living with illness
•promote wider access to employment for diverse
or impairment and providing easier access to early
london age • Spring 2010
To read the full strategy and a summary of the first steps
to delivery please visit london.gov.uk. To discuss how
News
your organisation can be further involved contact Helen
Davies on helen.davies@london.gov.uk.
Commitments
The strategy has thirty commitments, including:
•No. 2 Motivate and enable Londoners to adopt
healthier behaviours and engage in lifelong
learning.
•No. 4 Promote community development
approaches to improve health and actively
support the role of the third sector.
•No. 8 Influence the NHS and boroughs in
London to make more equitable allocation of
resources and promote more effective
interventions and support to promote independence
commissioning to improve services for
and quality of life
disadvantaged groups and areas.
•make it easier for all Londoners to benefit from
opportunities to eat well, be more active and make
healthier choices in other aspects of their daily lives
•as individuals and organisations, provide financial or
in-kind support to local community groups and
encourage staff to contribute through volunteering or
mentoring schemes.
Delivery plans
To ensure the strategy delivers on its aims, the Greater
London Authority is producing a rolling series of delivery
plans. The ‘First steps to delivery’ plan lists priority actions
to 2012 against the strategy’s thirty commitments,
including initiatives on obesity and mental health.
•No. 9 Improve the accessibility of health and
social care services and invest in provision of
advocacy, information, advice and language
support to enable excluded groups to make
effective use of relevant services.
•No. 13 Work towards achieving levels of
household income necessary to sustain a
healthy lifestyle.
•No. 17 Promote effective ways to improve
retention and in-work support for carers and
people living with illness or impairments.
•No. 20 Promote the individual, social and
economic benefits of volunteering and increase
The Mayor will establish a powerful new delivery board,
opportunities for Londoners to volunteer in a
chaired by his adviser for health and youth opportunities
more diverse range of settings.
and made up of leaders from key partner organisations,
including the Regional Public Health Group, NHS
London and London Councils.
•No. 23 Manage public places across London to
be safer and more inclusive.
13
london age • Spring 2010
User involvement in strategic commissioning
Cliff Chester
News
Are your health and social care services fit for purpose?
This issue lies at the heart of meaningful and viable
service user involvement. Ambiguity or even ambivalence
will result in lack of leadership, confusion among those
charged with implementing involvement and a mixed
message for service users and their advocates.
Conducive environment
A discrepancy between what an organisation says it
believes and will do and what it thinks, is likely to mean
that any structures or systems developed will reflect
what the organisation says it does rather than what it
actually does. This will make managing the task hugely
difficult. It is important, therefore, to create
an environment throughout the organisation that is
Consultation with older people on the London Plan 2009
conducive to service user involvement.
This article considers some of the key issues concerning
user involvement in strategic and other commissioning
arising from research commissioned by the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation and undertaken by Stephanie
Age Concern London.
The research was carried out in six
London boroughs and with seven
user groups: mental health service
“
health difficulties, physically disabled people, people
living with HIV and people with learning difficulties. The
project team also drew on relevant literature.
Culture
The team identified three types of culture in public
organisations in relation to service user involvement:
• open and willing to engage with service users
14
an impact on service development and user involvement.
They can challenge
when they do not
experience straight
talking.
alcohol, drug use and mental
• neither open nor willing.
legislation, regulation, national priorities and so on – have
However, there is no reason why
users, parents, offenders with
• ostensibly open but not actually willing
– from government, the economy, local politics,
“
Sexton and others on behalf of
There is also a need to recognise that outside pressures
service users cannot be made aware of
these issues.
Challenge
Service users can inform, influence and
potentially transform the shape, nature,
direction and quality of health and
social care services. They can challenge when they do
not experience straight talking. While user involvement in
strategic commissioning is at an early stage of its
development, learning indicates that it would not be a
huge step to make it a reality.
This is an edited extract from an article originally
published in the journal Housing, Care and Support.
The full article is available from: http://pierprofessional.
metapress.com/content/121402/.
london age • Spring 2010
‘More money in your pocket’
For many people, as they get older, it’s the small
older people claim what they are owed Age UK has
things in life that matter. And they feel sad when, after
published the free booklet Help us to help you put
working hard all their lives, they can’t afford to treat
more money in your pocket, which explains clearly all
their grandchildren, go on holiday or have a coffee
the benefits available to people in later life.
Feature
Samantha Nicklin , Age UK’s Senior Campaigns Officer, talks through the
organisation’s latest campaign.
with a friend.
Age UK Advice and local Age Concerns in London
But every year a huge number of benefits go
can also give individual support, advising older people
unclaimed, including up to £5 billion in pension credit,
about benefits and helping them to fill in claim forms.
benefits – intended for people on
the lowest incomes – plus
attendance allowance and
disability living allowance. Why do
“
people choose not to claim their
Some Age Concerns also offer
Are the older people
you work with
missing out on vital
extra pounds?
benefits? Age UK research has
“
housing benefit and council tax
home visits.
To order Help us to help you or
refer someone to their local Age
Concern, please call 0800 169 65 65
and a friendly advisor will help.
shown that one of the greatest barriers for older
people is that many are too proud to claim.
A real difference
A bit more money can make a real difference to many
older people. One example is Tony Mansfield, who
claimed attendance allowance with help from Age UK.
‘To be honest I didn’t expect anything, perhaps the
lowest [rate of attendance allowance], that would have
been alright for me – but I got the highest, and it’s a
big help when you’re old. But it’s also helped Maria,
my wife, because Maria had to do all of this, help me
out of bed, and things like this. It’s given her a better
life, and also for me, it’s given me a better life, not to
worry about Maria all the time.’
Free resources
Are the older people you work with missing out on
vital extra pounds? Could your organisation
encourage more older people to claim the benefits
they are entitled to? As part of its campaign to help
15
Ask the expert
Gordon Deuchars Age Concern London’s Policy
and Campaigns Manager, makes policy simple.
Cliff Chester
Ask the expert
london age • Spring 2010
Gordon Deuchars
What does the recent election
result mean for older people?
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition’s plans
include a number of points to welcome in relation to
older people and ageing. It was clear from the first
announcement that some of the issues Age UK and
Age Concerns had been pushing for were included:
•Restoration of the link between pensions and earnings
from April 2011, with a ‘triple guarantee’ that pensions
will rise by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5 per
cent.
•Phasing out the default retirement age (although the
government will hold a review to set the date at which
the state pension age starts to rise to 66: this will not
be sooner than 2016 for men and 2020 for women).
•An agreement that NHS funding should rise in real
terms in each year of the current Parliament.
•Ending the rules requiring compulsory annuitisation of
pensions at 75.
•The establishment of a smart energy grid and the rollout of smart meters.
•The provision of home energy improvement, paid for
by the savings from lower energy bills.
Social care reform
The full programme includes a commitment to set up a
social care commission to consider how to fund the
16
future needs of an ageing population. The options
include the Conservative proposal for a voluntary
insurance contribution to guarantee against having to
sell the family home to pay for care, and the partnership
model proposed by the Wanless review (Securing good
care for older people, available from www.kingsfund.org.
uk/publications/securing_good.html). This can at least be
read as a sign that social care reform has not dropped
off the agenda despite the public spending cuts.
Balance
However, any optimism has to be balanced by the
realisation that the economic deficit and resulting public
spending cuts are a major threat to many local public
services, including those for older people. Local councils
are going to come under increasing pressure to spend
less – the coalition agreement included a commitment to
freeze council tax. How will it be possible to improve and
personalise care services in this climate? How will it be
possible to maintain other local services that support
older people to lead independent lives and contribute to
the community?
Challenge
There is clearly going to be a major challenge in the next
few years to make sure that vulnerable older people do
not pay for Britain’s economic deficit.
Barry Swain
In the hotseat
CEO of Age Concern Enfield, Tony Seagroatt.
shares his thoughts about working with
older people.
Tony Seagroatt
Why are older people’s issues
important to you?
Older people are often disadvantaged and not treated
with the dignity and respect they deserve. This was
evident while working in the welfare department.
What services does your Age Concern
offer/what projects do you run?
Age Concern Enfield runs eleven direct services/
activities. We also promote volunteering and currently
have over 230 volunteers supporting our work. We also
have the membership scheme ‘My Time’, which gives
members discounts at local businesses, and we
manage the local Home Support Network, which is
funded by the primary care trust.
How do you work with other voluntary
organisations in the area?
I am a member of the Enfield Community
Empowerment Network (ECEN), which encompasses
a large number of local voluntary and community
organisations. I am currently the ECEN representative
on the Health and Social Care Board, Health
Improvement Partnership and the Safeguarding
Adults Board.
What one thing would you ask the
local authority to do to improve
matters for older people?
I would like to see future funding shifted across and
invested into the area of prevention.
What would be your top piece of
advice on providing services to older
people?
Wherever possible involve older people in the
planning, development, monitoring and evaluation
of services.
What has been your best experience
in working with older people?
Watching the development of our day care centre
for people with dementia. Carers have been actively
involved in its development and the changes we
have introduced over the years and we are now
open 8.30 am to 6.00 pm to provide support to
working carers. We have also developed a respite
service that enables working carers to take a break
of up to four days and have introduced an early
dementia service.
What concern do you hear most from
service users?
What is your vision for the future of
your Age Concern?
Last year we experienced a 67 per cent increase in
requests for debt advice, which reflects the issues for
older people as a result of the recession.
That older people are supported by their local
community and that organisations such as Age
Concern are no longer needed.
17
Hotseat
london age • Spring 2010
Are you claiming
all your retirement
benefits?
‘ If you buy one book about
finances, make it this one.’
Your
Rights
to money
benefits
2010/2011
How to put
more money
in your pocket
Find out what
you might be
entitled to
and how
to claim it
Sally West
To order your copy, please call
0870 44 22 120
or visit ageuk.org.uk/bookshop
Age UK is a registered charity (number 1128267) and company limited by guarantee (number 6825798). The registered address is 207–221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ.
VAT number: 564559800. Age Concern England (charity number 261794) and Help the Aged (charity number 272786) and their trading and other associated companies merged
on 1 April 2009. Together they have formed Age UK, a single charity dedicated to improving the lives of people in later life. Age Concern and Help the Aged are brands of
Age UK. The three national Age Concerns in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have also merged with Help the Aged in these nations to form three registered charities:
Age Scotland, Age NI, Age Cymru. ID9153 05/10