Press Release - Developing Effective Services for Older
People
26 March 2003
Head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn, reported
today that the Government had made good progress in the development
of policy for older people, but should build on this, in
particular, by publishing an overall strategy to co-ordinate work
across departments, and by ensuring better feedback to older people
on how services are improving.
Today’s report to Parliament points out that older people are
major users of public services. But many find the divisions between
service providers confusing, with those most in need often having
to contact the largest number of agencies. The National Audit
Office’s report examines whether, in line with the Government’s
stated aims, the development of services relevant to older people
is joined up, avoids duplication and takes account of older
people’s characteristics and needs.
The National Audit Office found that the Government has
developed a wide range of policy initiatives in recent years to
address the needs of older people. It has taken a more strategic
approach to policy-making on these issues by establishing a Cabinet
Committee on Older People, appointing a Cabinet champion for older
people, designating the Department for Work and Pensions to take
the lead on older people’s issues, and establishing The Pension
Service to provide a dedicated benefits service for pensioners. It
has used a range of approaches to co-ordinating different parts of
government to produce tangible results, including the Better
Government for Older People initiative and the Performance and
Innovation Unit’s report Winning the Generation Game. But,
according to Sir John, in order to provide an overall framework for
work across Government, the Department for Work and Pensions should
publish an Older People’s strategy soon. This would help to make it
clearer how the work of different departments in areas relevant to
older people fit together.
The National Audit Office also found that the Government is
developing a much better understanding of what older people
believe, want or need. Through a range of innovative consultation
methods, the Government has better informed policy-making and
obtains regular feedback from groups of older people on policy
proposals. But Sir John urged the Government to consider how it
would fulfil its commitments to repeat the "Listening to Older
People" programme, and to report more on progress on matters
relating to older people.
He also suggested a more joined up approach across Government to
consultation and research on older people’s issues is required.
This would help to avoid duplication of effort, and minimise
burdens placed on organisations such as charities, which are often
asked to comment on proposals. A stronger emphasis also needs to be
placed on providing timely and informative feedback in order to
maintain the commitment and interest of third parties
consulted.
Among the NAO’s other recommendations are that:
- the Department of Health should clarify publicly the roles of
older people’s champions in the NHS, and the Cabinet Office should
consider the merits of requiring every Department to appoint an
older people’s champion, along the lines of e-champions or consumer
champions;
- the Treasury should work with other Departments to identify
synergies in future Public Service Agreement targets affecting
older people, and to assign more of them jointly to relevant
Departments where this would help to promote more effective service
delivery;
- sponsoring Departments of joined up programmes should ensure
that funding issues are clarified from the outset to avoid
distracting policy makers from progressing their projects; and
- population ageing has long term implications, so strategic
futures work should be encouraged to help inform policy making and
ensure the future needs of older people are clearly
understood.
Sir John Bourn said today:
"Older people are major users of public services and
many of them find the divisions between service providers
confusing. Often those most in need have to contact the largest
number of agencies.
"The Government has been successful in finding new ways
of developing services for older people that are joined up and
avoid duplication. But there is scope to build on this. Improved
co-ordination across government on older people’s issues could be
addressed by the publication of an Older People strategy. At the
same time, Government must ensure it continues to provide feedback
to those it consults in order to maintain commitment and to avoid
raising expectations that are later undermined".
Notes for Editors
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website at http://www.nao.org.uk/ Hard copies can
be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702 3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is the
head of the National Audit Office which employs some 800 staff. He
and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 23/03
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