The Interim Administration for England has established a focus group to deal with issues relating to the National Service Framework for older people (NSF).

The group’s aims
The group aims to influence national policy, support implementation of the NSF and address the concerns of BGS members.

Members of the Society have already been significantly involved in the drafting of the NSF and subsequent reports, and many are also leading on implementation at a local and regional level. It is hoped that an NSF News feature in the BGS Newsletter will be a useful communication tool. The feature will include an update on recent developments in older people’s policy and links for members to access useful resources.

Members of the NSF Focus Group
The group is comprised of Dr Ian Hastie, Dr Peter Belfield, Dr Finbarr Martin, Prof Cameron Swift and Dr David Black

Interim Report on Age Discrimination
Published in April 2002, this report gives the results of the initial audits of age-related policies carried as part of standard one of the NSF. Audits have been completed across three quarters of the NHS. The report concludes that the audit has raised awareness of age discrimination and gained considerable support within the NHS and social care. However there is a lack of common definition or wider understanding of age discrimination. The results show that only a very small number of policies are explicitly age discriminatory, the main problem is around implicit or unintentional dis-crimination. In total, 41 specific health service areas have age-related policies and further work is recommended to ensure that these services are of the same quality as those for working-age adults. www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/olderpeople.htm

Intermediate Care: Moving Forward
Published in June 2002 this report summarises the key points from the review of progress in intermediate care. The review examines research evidence on the effectiveness of intermediate care, looks at success factors and raises key issues for further development. Examples of good practice are included, along with reports on existing research and details of research projects currently in progress. In particular the review recognises that assessment should include medical input and access to specialist diagnostic and treatment services. www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/olderpeople.htm.

Single Assessment Process: Review reports to be submitted by 30 September
One of the NSF milestones is to undertake a review of the single assessment process during April to June 2002, and submit a report to DOH by 30 September. The requirements of the report are set out in Annexe C of the guidance available at www.doh.gov.uk/ nsf/olderpeople.htm. There is no plan for a national proforma for the report, but some regional offices may have developed their own guidelines; the London Older People’s Programme have posted a proforma at www.london.nhs.uk/olderpeople

SAP and Care Approach Programme
Guidance on the relationship between the single assessment process for older people and the care programme approach has been published. The Care Programme Approach should be applied to older people with severe mental illness due to schizophrenia or other psychoses. The assessment of their needs should be based on the single assessment process for older people. Members may wish to bring the document to the attention of colleagues in local mental health services and managers and other professionals involved in the single assessment process. www.doh.gov.uk/scg/sap

General Hospital Care
The Department of Health has announced progress in achieving the commitments in standard 4 regarding modernisation of Nightingale Wards and the appointment of Modern Matrons.

£120 million has been promised over a 3-year period for the modernisation of Nightingale wards, an initial allocation was made in 2001. Of the 289 wards being modernised, 211 cater for older people. Modernisation includes re-equipping and refurbishing rehabilitation rooms, converting dormitory-style wards into a combination of smaller bays and single rooms with en-suite facilities and providing additional refurbished bathrooms and toilet facilities.

In April 2001 the Government announced a target of 2,000 Matrons working on NHS wards by 2004. In June 2002 the Department of Health stated that 1,895 appointments have been made.

The next BGS and Age Concern survey will focus on general hospital care including the multidisciplinary team, discharge arrangements and the ward environment. The survey will be sent to lead clinicians later in Autumn 2002.

Toolkit for Champions
A Champions toolkit was produced for the Champions Conference, Meeting the Milestones, in March. The original document is available on the NSF champion’s notice board www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/olderpeople.htm and is now being updated. A new version, which will continue to be added to and improved, should be available now.

Social Services for Older People
On 23 July 2002 Alan Milburn announced a programme of investment and reform for older people's social services. The package includes targets to ensure faster assessment. By the end of 2004, first contact by social services will be made within 48 hours, the assessment completed within one month and all equipment in place within one week. The package also includes investment to stabilise local care home markets and improve training for social care staff. Amendments to the environmental standards for care homes are planned. A new initiative was announced which will allow councils to offer direct payments for older people to purchase care for themselves. Increased intensive home care packages, rehabilitation packages, extra-care housing places, more free community equipment and increases in funding for carers were also promised. http://tap.ukwebhost.eds.com/doh/intpress.nsf/page/2002-0324?OpenDocument

EASY-Care and MDS to collaborate on research and development for single assessment.The development teams for MDS (University of Kent and University of Manchester) and EASY-Care (University of Sheffield) have decided it would be in the interest of local services and older people to collaborate on R&D on single assessment. Each will continue to develop their assessment instruments; MDS for assessments in complex and long term care and EASY-Care for contact and overview assessment. Work will be undertaken to ensure electronic linkages between EASY-Care and MDS assessments are posssble in local services. EASY-Care; www.shef.ac.uk/sisa/easycare
Inter RAI UK: www.interrai-uk.org/interrai/index.htm

The Development Centre for Older People's Services at Sheffield will undertake its role in organisational and professional development in support
of local implementation for single assessment, including support for EASY-Care and MDS.

A request has been made to the National Network for Geriatric Assessment (NNGA) to act as a focus for collaboration. (details of NNGA from Miss Joy Marriott, j.marriot@sheffield.ac.uk)

Finbarr Martin