Membership of national group on health care of older people announced

The membership of a national expert group on the health care of
older people was announced by Mac Armstrong, Scotland’s chief
medical officer. The remit of the group is to improve the health
care of older people across Scotland and to reduce delays in
discharging people from hospital.

Chaired by Armstrong, the 35-strong membership is primarily of
health professionals, but includes key representation from social
care: Sue Brace, head of planning and commissioning in Edinburgh
Council’s social work department; Elizabeth Duncan, Scottish
executive of Help the Aged; Jim Jackson, chief executive of
Alzheimer’s Scotland; Paul Lee, area manager with Age Concern
Scotland; Rose Templeton, Strathclyde and Renfrewshire Elderly
Forums; John Wilkes, director of Carers National Association
Scotland, and Oonagh Aitken, chief executive of Cosla.

In announcing the group, Armstrong said: “Membership of the
expert group will be inclusive, with patients and carers,
specialists and representatives of the voluntary sector and the
full spectrum of other interests involved in planning services for
older people.” Armstrong further indicated that ageism in the NHS
would be tackled while Malcolm Chisholm, deputy minister for
community care, committed the group to the creation of one-stop
clinics.