- Ian Philp, National Director

We are entering a critical period for implementing the NSF for Older People in England. Decisions about investment and reforms are being taken by Primary Care Trusts and Acute Trusts which will determine the future pattern of care for older people for many years to come. It is essential that geriatricians, old age psychiatrists and general practitioners with special interests in the care of older people are well placed to influence these developments. Recent organisational changes, which are still in a state of flux in many places, make it difficult to know where best to exert that influence but I hope that all members of the Society will be able to find out what the structures are locally and to find ways to make their views known, in PCTs, Strategic Health Authorities and in Trusts.

Another way of helping to shape the development of services is through the Local Implementation Teams for the NSF and the network of “Champions”. In the next few months I will be setting up systems to help older people champions to be effective in influencing changes in their local communities. I would urge those members of the Society who are not yet champions to offer their services as clinical champions within each local health and social care community. If you have strong interests in improving services for older people and think you could find the time and commitment to help make the difference, please email me at: ian.philp@doh.gsi.gov.uk so that I can send you details of who to contact locally. Those members who are already clinical champions and on the BGS register of champions will be asked by the Society if it may pass their names to the Department of Health.

Champions include practitioners from all staff groups, older people on patient advisory groups, non-executive NHS trust directors, local government champions and operational leads for older people’s services.

We will be encouraging champions to network, to ask the awkward questions, to speak about the National Service Framework at local meetings and, if they wish, to the local media to celebrate good practice. I will be appointing a national lead to support champions and develop our database and communications with champions, and to provide champions with a toolkit which supports NSF implementation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Ian Philp
National Director