Archived decisions

OLDER PEOPLE: DEVELOPING THE PREVENTION AGENDA

On 17 February 2005 the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved the establishment of a dedicated corporate Well-being of Older People Team in recognition of the rising importance of a co-ordinated corporate response to improving the quality of life for older people in Hampshire.

Nationally, there is an ageing population which in turn brings its own challenges in terms of promoting the social inclusion of older people and recognising them as a specific interest group within the broader population. Modern public services should be responsive to the needs and aspirations of individual older people and key to this is the involvement by older people in the design, delivery and evaluation of services which affect them.

The Older Person's Cabinet Priority Group identified the need for the development of a formal strategy for the well-being of older people and the establishment of a dedicated team to work alongside the services provided for older people by Social Services. The main purpose of the team will be to identify with older people and deliver a range of new innovative actions to meet the aims of the strategy.

Once fully underway the team should produce substantial benefits not only to the County Council but also to other key stakeholders such as the NHS. It is also anticipated that there will be opportunities to bid for external funding, particularly for specific projects. In particular it is anticipated that in the first full year of operation, external grants of up to £100,000 may be obtained for specific projects of benefit to older people.

Member involvement is key not only in the work of the team, but with older people's services generally. It is therefore suggested that there will be a designated Older Person's Champion within the Cabinet.

The establishment of the team will be carried out in phases, starting with the employment of a Head of Unit and two Project Development Workers supplemented by part-time secondments from elsewhere within the County Council where their main role is to provide services to older people. Eventually the team might consist of a Strategic Manager with 4/5 Project Development Workers. The team will be located initially within the Chief Executive's Department to maximise the opportunities for corporate co-ordination with current Older Person service provision.

The Executive Member for Policy and Resources made a decision that the costs of the team of up to £200,000 be met 50% by increased budget provision in 2005/06 and future years with the balance of £100,000 met by external income and secondments from other departments within existing budgets and that the establishment costs of the Chief Executive's Department be increased accordingly.

This decision supports Aims 1, 4 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Maximising Life Opportunities, Building Safe and Strong Communities and Improving Services) by providing improved public services to Older People in Hampshire.