OLDER PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE FORUM
TUESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2009
Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland, Causewayside House, Edinburgh
Attendees:
Shona Robison Minister for Public Health and Sport (Chair)
David Manion Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland
Barbara Barnes Alzheimer's Scotland
Diana Findlay Change Agents
Cllr Ronnie McColl CoSLA representative on older people issues
(West Dunbartonshire Council)
Sylvia Murray CoSLA
Elinor McKenzie Scottish Pensioners Forum
Eugene Duffy STUC
Alison Taylor Scottish Government - Joint Outcomes Team
George Paterson Scottish Seniors Alliance
Agnes McGroarty West of Scotland's Senior Forum
Andrew Jackson Women's Royal Voluntary Service
Apologies:
Cllr Gurudeo Saluja Black and Ethnic Minority Elders Group
Jean Elgar Dumfries and Galloway Local Authority
George Henderson National Pensioner's Convention Scotland
Secretariat:
John Storey Older People and Age Team
Mabel McDowall Older People and Age Team
Sarah Arthur Older People and Age Team (minutes)
1. WELCOME, INTRODUCTION AND APOLOGIES
Shona Robison (Minister for Public Health and Sport) opened the meeting and welcomed members, including George Paterson (Scottish Seniors Alliance) who was joining the OPCF as a new member. The Minister also welcomed Alison Taylor and Sarah Arthur from the Scottish Government.
Apologies were received from Cllr Gurudeo Saluja, Jean Elgar and George Henderson.
2. MATTERS ARISING FROM MEETING ON 16 MARCH
Members noted the minute of the previous meeting held on 16 March 2009.
3. PRESENTATION ON WIDER PLANNING FOR AN AGEING POPULATION
The Minister introduced the presentation by Alison Taylor on major work that is looking at reshaping care in the light of the demographic ageing of the population. This takes issues well beyond All Our Futures. It is being taken forward through the Ministerial Strategic Group on Health and Community Care (MSG), and began with a Joint Leadership Summit in May 2009.
Alison presented tables showing the demographic ageing of Scotland's population, stated what this would mean if existing services continued unchanged, and noted that work is proceeding under 8 primary workstreams, each championed by a member of the MSG:
- Vision and Engagement
- Future funding of Long-Term Care: Demographic Pressure
- Care at Home
- Future Role of the Care Home Sector
- Housing and Communities
- Promoting Healthy Life Expectancy
- Workforce
- Embedding Specialist Care in Whole System Pathways across Acute, Primary and Social Care Sectors.
Alison outlined emerging ideas, and said that some members of the Forum were already involved and that there would be wider consultation in the New Year which everyone could be involved in. In questions, the following points were raised in discussion:
· Most people want to be cared for in their own home and not in hospital. This means that more support needs to be provided to carers, and in particular, unpaid carers. Less of the 'see you later' attitude.
· Ideas and solutions were discussed at the Joint Leadership Event, but it was questioned by members how these would be taken forward and applied to front line services.
· Strategies for care have to be cross party and non political because the issue of care is a long term concern, for everyone. There needs to be more communication between all groups, at both national and local level.
· Alison mentioned that integrated resourcing is underway. At ground level the Government is mapping individuals and looking at what is being delivered to whom and if it matches their needs.
· Growing care needs should not be considered a 'problem' and efficiency savings should not be targeted at the vulnerable old who make up a very small proportion of the population. By reducing the number of paid carers, the responsibility would fall on unpaid carers and family. This does not tie in with the idea that caring for the old should be a collective responsibility.
· The Minister pointed out that the rising cost of care has to be taken into consideration and plans put in place to make sure that we can meet demands. She also pointed out that currently, when we look at the services that are provided and whether these are good enough, the answer is that often they are not.
· Re-enablement is an important concept. When a person's needs change, their care provision should also change. We should not just wrap services around a person, regardless of whether they need them or not. We have to rehabilitate and maximise independence, otherwise care dependency sets in very quickly.
· Despite the plans that are being put in place to improve care in the long term, what is happening to improve care in the here and now? What is being done to address the fragmented nature of care and years of neglect in the care system? Response to this point was that although this particular work has a focus on the future, there are also changes occurring in parallel in the here and now - work on dementia is an example.
· Older people are concerned how you regulate more care in the home, and more care in the community. There needs to be a strategic look at the regulatory framework for this kind of care provision. The Minister pointed to the need for community and family involvement to ensure care standards are met, and suggested we ask the Care Commission to the Forum's next meeting to speak about monitoring and regulation of home care services.
· People are fearful of asking to have their care needs reassessed in case they lose care altogether. There needs to be increased confidence in the service.
· The new Self Directed Support Bill is bringing together legislation with a view to maximising usage of self directed support payments.
In conclusion Alison advised that two events were being held in the near future - An Enabling Independent Living joint symposium in partnership between the Scottish Government and the University of Stirling on 30 September 2009 and a Care at Home Support Workshop in Edinburgh (venue to be confirmed) on 5 October 2009. Further details were provided to members after the meeting
4. COSLA CHARGING GUIDELINES
Cllr McColl's letter sent to members on 22 July was noted, and details of the 2010 review would be circulated by CoSLA.
5. SCOTTISH OLDER PEOPLES ASSEMBLY - UPDATE
Agnes McGroarty updated the group on the progress that has being made with the Scottish Older People's Assembly taking place on 2 October. She said that all the groups are working well together and that the speakers and panel members were finalised. She also outlined the programme for the event.
The Minister thanked all those involved for their hard work and in particular the support of the Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland.
6. ISSUES RAISED BY MEMBERS - Energy Assistance Package (Paper 3:2009)
Agnes commented that since the contract was transferred from Scottish Power to the Wise Group, only 1 system has been installed.
George Paterson raised concerns about the intrusiveness of the questions asked by energy companies when applying for Energy Assistance Package. Many agreed and felt that not only was it inappropriate, but was also not secure. It was suggested that the information could be obtained from DWP
Diana Findlay questioned high fuel prices, noting recent reports that energy companies will not be bringing their prices down, even though wholesale energy costs have fallen sharply. The Minister replied that the Government Ministers have met energy companies in the past and that is was likely her Ministerial colleagues were pursuing the matter.
Action - Older People and Age Team to investigate and report back to Forum members
Charges for Blue Badges.
Agnes questioned why the price of Blue Badges varies across the country. The Minister replied that it is at the discretion of local authorities what they charge, within the statutory maximum limit of £20. It was suggested by Cllr McColl that members need to lobby their local authorities and councillors in those councils that charged for badges.
7. OTHER MATTERS ARISING
Elinor McKenzie requested that the date for introduction of public sector duties under the Equality Bill be on the agenda for the next meeting.
Action: Added as Agenda item for the next meeting of the group.
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The Older People and Age Team will be in contact with members about a date for the next meeting in early December.
9. AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
· Wider Planning for a Scotland with an ageing population to be a standing item on the agenda.
· For the next meeting -
o Scottish Older People's Assembly - event report and way forward
o Care Commission to be asked to the next meeting of the Forum to discuss regulation issues in the 'reshaping care' world.
o Equality Bill public sector duties introduction.
Older People and Age Team
Equality Unit
Scottish Government
28 September 2009