voluntary sector reference group...
The National Service Framework
(Older People)
The National Service Framework (Older People) was introduced in 2001, and is "the first ever comprehensive strategy to ensure fair, high quality, integrated health and social care services for Older People" (NSF OP 2001). A national 10 year plan was developed, based around 8 'standards' of improvement, including:
rooting out age discrimination (Standard 1)general hospital care (Standard 4)promoting health and active life (Standard 8).The NSF (OP) identifies milestones to help mark progress, and in October 2004, Leeds had a review to identify development in relation to the NSF. One of the conclusions was that 'Leeds was well placed to develop and modernise services for Older People...and there is a range of community projects in Leeds providing services and activities for Older People' (Leeds Pilot Review of the Implementation of the NSF 2004:4).
Voluntary organisations in Leeds make a major contribution to the implementation of the National Service Framework (Older People) and this was acknowledged by the Older People's Modernisation Team who provided funding in 2002 to establish a Voluntay Sector Reference Group
This group meets every 2 months, and elects voluntary sector representatives to attend Modernisation Team groups, Primary Care Trust Older People's Steering Groups and the National Service Framework Standards Groups. The Voluntary Sector Reference Group enables these representatives to report developments to a formal group of voluntary sector organisations to ensure that voluntary organisations are kept up to date. The group invites speakers from various organisations and provides an opportunity to network and consult. Regular information is sent to the group, which comprises over 100 members, regarding developments within the NSF (OP) and the statutory sector, both locally and nationally
The Voluntary Sector Reference Group also gets involved in specific project work in partnership with the statutory sector. At present, we are running a 12 month pilot of the Single Assessment Process in the voluntay sector.
Contact Caroline Starkey for further information.
I was appointed to the role of National Service Framework (Older People) Development Worker in February 2005. Since starting work for the Leeds Older People's Forum, I have been amazed at the amount of holistic, person-centred and diverse work that the voluntary sector undertakes
Caroline Starkey
Click here for details of next VSRG meetings
Leeds Older People's Forum
