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What is the future of geriatric medicine?

This is a key question to be answered if we are to raise the profile of the specialty more effectively and in order for the BGS to be able to influence the development of health care policy, as it affects older people, at both national and local levels.

I have enjoyed meeting and speaking to members from around the UK over the past couple of months at committee meetings, conferences and on my first ward round. It is clear that there are significant variations in the way that older people’s health care services are designed and delivered, ranging from how service provision is split between hospital and community settings to the shifting interface between health and social care. There are many commendable examples of innovative and integrated practice, which have resulted in better outcomes for older patients.

It is important that we raise awareness of successful service models, and not just amongst ourselves. What works well in terms of caring for older people must be brought to the attention of those making budget, workforce, policy and commissioning decisions so that these models can be replicated and built on.

We will do this by meeting those individuals with relevant responsibilities and seeking to get more members involved with service design as well as delivery. We will also secure media coverage of best practice and key issues. The recent feature in HSJ entitled ‘How community geriatricians are the linchpin to elder care’ was achieved with the help of members and it is by working with you that I will be able to secure coverage such as this.

Although it may be the case that some service models will work better in some areas than others, there are certain issues related to geriatric medicine which resonate throughout the UK. These include fears that overt and covert ageism is preventing older people from receiving diagnoses and treatment and concerns that older patients are not being treated with sufficient dignity. We will continue to be vocal on these subjects and encourage public debate. To this end, David Oliver recently participated in an hour-long debate on Radio Five Live on the topic of ‘Ageism in the NHS’ and appeared on BBC One’s ethical debate programme, The Big Questions to discuss the same subject.

If there are specific topics which you would like to champion, please contact myself or Graham Mulley and I should be delighted to work with you on future media opportunities. Where possible, links to coverage we achieve will appear in the new Media section of the BGS website.

While we continue to determine our priorities for the coming year, I am fostering links with policy-makers, think tanks and voluntary organisations we can work with in order to maximise our impact and increase our visibility. This is also a way of ensuring that the needs of older people are being heeded in disease specific areas.

In view of our ageing society, it is vital that there is an appropriate skills mix of people trained and able to provide appropriate health care for older people. The role of the BGS in educating and sharing best practice is critical and we will be publicising our events and grants more widely to encourage greater interest in both.

While our members continue to play key roles in the multidisciplinary teams which are essential to ensuring older people enjoy better health in old age, my role is to communicate to targeted audiences what you are doing. I will also be working to ensure that the BGS is shaping the agenda in all four nations so that health care services for older people are designed to maximise their independence and safeguard their right to high quality care.

Iona-Jane Harris
BGS Press, PR and Parliamentary Affairs Officer

BGS Newsletter, July 2009
Issue 22 ISSN 1748-6343 22