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Yvonne Roberts - Dissatisfied social services users need the same kind of lobbying power as NHS patients.

The public sector - health, education, transport but not, as yet, that poor Cinderella, social services - is suddenly the sexiest subject in politics. Irrespective of what may or may not have happened to 94-year-old Rose Addis, she has become a catalyst for renewed arguments about money, reforms, accountability and improved rules on confidentiality in the NHS.

The NHS has suffered from Labour's freeze on spending. Lack of investment has bred a management style that focuses on fulfilling short-term cuts and targets at the price of long-term efficiency, customer satisfaction, staff retention and employees' morale. The same is true for social services.

The Rose Addis case has highlighted something that is rarely seen in social services: client power. The equivalent in the social services arena to the furore around the Addis case is, too often, a murdered child. But where are the advocates of those denied or offered little support by overstretched providers?

Compare, for example, last week's media coverage of the NHS with the treatment of the recent scandalous news that Brent Council's children's services are worse now than they were at the time of the Victoria Climbie case. Which newspaper investigated how representative Brent's calamitous situation is? Why no attack from Iain Duncan Smith?

A recent study by the Picker Institute compared the experience of British NHS patients with those in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and the USA. In terms of physical comfort, co-ordination of care, emotional support and respect for patients' preferences, we score far worse than the other countries.

What is required is a similar survey of social services' clients detailing those who have had help refused and on what basis. But then what? The Claimants' Union operated as a skilful protagonist for those on benefits because it understood the importance of accurate information to make politically embarrassing waves.

Perhaps it is time for a new independent national organisation - one which champions all those in need of support from the increasingly privatised and selective social services?

It will be a tough job to ignite debate with the success that Rose Addis's family have achieved. But it is not impossible. All that is required - apart from commitment - is political skill, good timing and powerful allies. The facts should speak for themselves.