Better Government for Older People Network

Better Government for Older People (then minus the “network”) was set up by the government in 1998 to oversee 28 research projects on the engagement of older people (defined as those aged 50 and above) in a variety of services. When the initiative ended when the research projects were wound up, “Network” was added and BGOP took into its membership 350 local member organisations to receive and share good practice. The members and subscribers – local authorities, health agencies and voluntary organisations, receive a range of services to help them to work together with the BGOP’s aim of encouraging older people to achieve participation and citizenship and to bridge the gap between the policy intentions of local and central government and others and local implementation.

Matters like regeneration, Best Value, public service agreements, national service frameworks, the NHS Plan, the Race Relations Amendment Act, crime and disorder and many other issues fall within BGOP’s purview.

Partly subscriber funded and partly in receipt of money from central government, BGOP directly funds the Older People’s Advisory Group, an offshoot established in 1999 and both organisations are subject to the same board of management.

OPAG was set up to influence national and local policy and service provision for older people. It is the direct voice for older people in the UK and seeks to complement, rather than supplant, other national lobbying groups for older people.

Director: Mervyn Eastman
Chair: Terry Gorman
Address: 25-31 Ironmonger Row, London EC1V 3QP
Telephone: 0207 553 6530
Website: www.bgop.org.uk
Other UK equivalents: BGOP is a UK-wide body