Paper 1:2008
NATIONAL FORUM ON AGEING
REMIT, MEMBERSHIP AND PRACTICAL ISSUES
Background
All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population was published in March 2007.
All Our Futures was the then Scottish Executive's response to the changing demographic that older people are forming an increasing proportion of our population - the number of people of pensionable age is projected to rise by around 31% from 0.98 million in 2006 to 1.29 million in 2031.
The baby boomers born after World War II are reaching 60 now: they are also living longer, with life expectancy rising at roughly a month every year. Older people will play an increasing role in Scotland's prosperity and future, and their skills and life experiences are an asset we need to benefit from. All Our Futures sets out what we can do to enable and support the contribution older people make to our society and to our economy.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Ms Sturgeon) has made it clear that the Scottish Government endorses All Our Futures as an evidence base and a clear strategy for the future, and supports its overall conclusions. It fits well with the single Scottish Government purpose and the 5 Strategic Objectives.
Specific commitment
The consultation that led up to All Our Futures identified 6 priority areas for action, and Volume 1 lists 47 action points. All Our Futures also has other commitments, and the specific commitment on a National Forum on Ageing is:
"We will establish a broadly based National Forum on Ageing to champion this work; to help take forward the development of this Strategy through raising awareness, and providing advice and assistance to all sectors in developing their responses to the Strategy. We will allocate £100,000 in the first year for this work." Vol 1 p. 11
There is a link between this recommendation and the Scotland's Futures Forum report Growing Older and Wiser Together published in 2006 which raised a question "Should a National Ageing Forum be established to monitor the development and implementation of ageing strategies across Scottish society?".
National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group
One way of taking forward this commitment would be through a National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group, chaired by a Minister, to act as a champion and to provide direction to the All Our Futures work.
This Group would be about
- implementation of All Our Futures, and
- taking forward the issues around older people in Scotland raised in All Our Futures in the context of the Scottish Government's single purpose and its 5 Strategic Objectives.
It would have on it organisations that are responsible for delivering services to older people. It is not a consultative forum - that function is fulfilled by the Older People's Consultative Forum referred to below.
The Minister for Public Health has agreed to chair the Group.
Remit
The suggested remit for the National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group is:
to implement and monitor the proposals and commitments set out in All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population, noting that some of these may be overtaken by events and time;
to take forward the issues around older people in Scotland raised in All Our Futures in the context of the Scottish Government's single purpose and its 5 Strategic Objectives; and
to look forward, beyond All Our Futures, to new issues and challenges arising from the demographic ageing of Scotland's population.
· Are members content with this remit for the National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group?
Membership
Potential membership of the Implementation Group is large. Broad groups of potential stakeholders include
- academics and policy thinkers
- service providers for older people, both public sector, private and voluntary
- mainstream service providers, both public sector, private and voluntary
- older people and their representative organisations
- businesses
- employers
- National Health Service, local authorities, education
If all these were to attend each meeting, meetings would be large and unwieldy. It is suggested that meetings should be themed: this would allow members representing particular sectors - e.g. housing, health, police, community planning etc - to attend meetings when required.
The suggested initial membership of the National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group is set out in Annex A. This list does not include all the potential stakeholders above, and it is suggested further consideration can be given to this in due course.
It is suggested that
· initially membership should be as at Annex A
· consideration be given subsequently to other people or organisations connected with implementation of All Our Futures, or who are responsible for delivery of services that relate to All Our Futures, who might be invited to the Group.
Practical issues
There are a number of practical issues that need to be considered -
· Frequency of meetings: It is anticipated the National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group will meet 3 times a year.
· Chair: Meetings will be chaired by the Minister for Public Health, as the Minister with responsibility for older people's issues.
· Publication of papers: In accordance with normal practice, National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group papers will be published on the Scottish Government web-site, together with the notes of its meetings.
· Secretariat: The Older People and Age Team, Scottish Government, will provide the Forum's secretariat.
· Papers will normally issue at least 10 days before meetings.
· Sub-groups can be established to deal with specific issues. These
- would be short life working groups, to deal with a specific task
- would not be chaired by a Minister, but by relevant individuals with a role in delivering All Our Futures commitments.
· Lifespan: the role and impact of the Group should be kept under review, with a formal review of its remit and activity after its first year.
Workplan
We can ask people from various walks of life to meetings, to tell the Group
· what their organisations are doing to meet the needs of older people today,
· what plans their organisations are making for the ageing of the population
· new issues around the ageing of the population, which they feel the Group might consider.
We suggest that future meetings of the Group should tackle topic areas, which could be broken down in a number of ways - see Annex B. Topic areas need to be reasonably distinct, however, since one individual cannot be expected to cover all the issues raised in one chapter of All Our Futures.
It would be useful, therefore, to get the views of the Group about the topics they would want to consider at the next meetings, and about individuals and/or organisations who might be asked to attend.
- members are asked to consider the topics they would want to consider at the next meetings, and the individuals and/or organisations who might be asked to attend.
Flexible and responsive model
We believe the model used for the National Forum on Ageing should be flexible, and responsive. It does not have to be a single working group, with a traditional committee structure - the National Forum on Ageing could have various manifestations. There are a number of existing groups with an interest in various aspects of older people and ageing issues, and we want to encourage work these might want to take forward.
The proposal for a National Forum on Ageing Futures Group, described more fully in paper 2:2008 for consideration under agenda item 3, is one such. We believe this kind of proposal is an effective means to engage people, achieve buy-in, challenge silo thinking on delivery and arrive at new ways forward.
The Older People and Age Team, Scottish Government, is in a position to consider limited funding so that appropriate organisations, or individuals, could run such a group. The Older People and Age Team would want to be on such groups, to ensure there is effective working together, towards a common goal of benefit for older people. Organisers would be encouraged to draw on their own networks, and on those of the Scottish Government and of others.
- Are members content with this model? (the National Forum on Ageing Futures Group, proposal is for consideration separately under agenda item 3)
Older People's Consultative Forum
The Older People's Consultative Forum provides a means for older people and their representative organisations to raise current issues direct with Ministers. It meets every 3-4 months, and is chaired by the Minister for Public Health. While it is interested in implementation of All Our Futures, members do not represent organisations providing services that directly drive forward implementation.
The function of the Older People's Consultative Forum is different from that of this Group: it will continue, therefore, and papers from the National Forum on Ageing Implementation Group will be available to it.
- Members are asked to note this.
Older People's Assembly or Congress
The Minister has floated a proposal for an Older People's Assembly or Congress to the Older People's Consultative Forum. Various older people's organisations have suggested this in the past, but it has not taken off. The time may be ripe now. The Minister suggested there might initially be a one off meeting, to debate the issues of the day and have dialogue with Ministers and others.
This would be:
· distinct from both All Our Futures and the Older Peoples Consultative Forum.
· an open event, free ranging and not bureaucratic.
· coming from older people's organisations, and organised by them.
· Members are asked to note this.
Older People and Age Team
Scottish Government
August 2008
Annex A
NATIONAL FORUM ON AGEING IMPLEMENTATION GROUP
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of Implementation Forum
We would envisage that around 12 people would attend each meeting, plus the Secretariat.
Minister for Public Health - chair
Scottish Government officials as required
COSLA - Councillor Ronnie McCall
Association of Directors of Social Work - Alan Baird, President
Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland - Mike McCormick*, Older People's issues
Councils for Voluntary Service - Brid Cullen*, Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme
Age Concern Scotland, Chief Executive - David Manion*
Help the Aged in Scotland, Director - Liz Duncan*
2 members from the Older People's Consultative Forum
o Agnes McGroarty, West of Scotland Seniors Forum
o Elinor McKenzie, Scottish Pensioners Forum
2 other older people
o Amy Kinnaird, Ayr (Opportunities in Retirement)
o Alan Spinks, Fife (UNITE)
Housing and Black and Minority Ethnic issues - Rohini Sharma Joshi*
Scottish Enterprise - Scott Reid-Skinner
* members of the External Advisory Group during preparation of All Our Futures
+ Secretariat from Older People and Age Team
John Storey, Mabel McDowall, and Brian Nisbet
Annex B
NATIONAL FORUM ON AGEING IMPLEMENTATION GROUP
TOPIC AREAS FOR CONSIDERATION AT MEETINGS
All Our Futures volume 2 set out the following issues -
Improving Opportunities and Removing Barriers (chapter 3) -
covering Working Lives, Flexible Working Arrangements, Employment Policy, Workplace Health, Future Challenges for Employers, Volunteering and the Voluntary Sector, The Silver Economy, Future Challenges for the Business Sector, Carers, Arts and Culture, and Digital Inclusion and Technology.
Forging Links Between the Generations (chapter 4)
Improving and Maintaining the Health and Wellbeing of Older People in Scotland (chapter 5) -
covering Health Care Policy, Palliative Care, Dementia, Ensuring quality of care for older people, Involving People, Health Improvement, Physical activity, Food and Health, and Future Challenges for health improvement and health care services.
Care, Support, Safety and Protection (chapter 6) - covering
Staying at Home, Telecare Services, Direct Payments, Safety and Protection, Community Safety, Elder Abuse, and Domestic abuse.
The Right Infrastructure - Housing, Planning and Transport (chapter 7) -
covering Ensuring Homes Suitable for an Ageing Population, Older People's Accommodation Choices, Planning and Building Standards, and Transport.
Offering Learning Opportunities Throughout Life (chapter 8) -
covering Future Challenges for the Learning Sector.
The 5 Strategic Objectives are -
· a wealthier and fairer Scotland
· a smarter Scotland
· a healthier Scotland
· a safer and stronger Scotland
· a greener Scotland.
The Scottish Government is organised in the following Directorate Generals -
· Economy and Chief Economic Adviser
· Education
· Environment
· Health and Chief Executive NHS Scotland
· Justice and Communities
Finally, Ministerial portfolios are -
First Minister - Alex Salmond MSP
Minister for Parliamentary Business - Bruce Crawford MSP
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture - Linda Fabiani MSP
Deputy First Minister & Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing - Nicola Sturgeon MSP
Minister for Public Health - Shona Robison MSP
Minister for Communities and Sport - Stewart Maxwell MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth - John Swinney MSP
Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism - Jim Mather MSP
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, and Climate Change - Stewart Stevenson MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning - Fiona Hyslop MSP
Minister for Schools and Skills - Maureen Watt MSP
Minister for Children and Early Years - Adam Ingram MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Justice - Kenny MacAskill MSP
Minister for Community Safety - Fergus Ewing MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment - Richard Lochhead MSP
Minister for Environment - Michael Russell MSP