Cameron should appoint a minister for older people

The government is burying its head in the sand over the impact of demographic change. Only a dedicated minister can protect older people

On 17 July 2013, the government provided a limp response to a Lords Committee report on demographic change, which campaigners for older people had expected to mark a step forward in tackling issues such as housing and social care.

The report, published in March, warned that society was currently "woefully under-prepared" for the impact that a rapid increase in the number of over 65s will have, and called on government to set out plans for addressing the matter in a white paper.

Instead of committing to a paper, the government conceded that the "wide reaching programme of reforms this Government has put in place… will begin to address the challenges of an ageing society".

To even begin to tackle the ticking time bomb of demographic change a "programme of reforms" is too little, and too late. Where is the commitment to resolving the crippling social isolation already faced by thousands of older people today? What about a solution for those who face a retirement on a significantly lower income?

The reality is that we already live an ageing society, and the impact and implications for us all will be immense.

The Lords report coincided with care minister Norman Lamb's attempt to simplify what social care reforms will mean for older people from 2016 – confirming that just one in eight older people will benefit from a £72,000 cap on care costs.

To add to the debate, worrying projections on public spending as a result of demographic change were also unveiled by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR). The implications for public finances highlighted by OBR chair Robert Chote reinforce the stark pressures we are dealing with: by 2060, the UK will be spending £80bn more per year on services such as healthcare, pensions and social care.

Despite these warnings, the government still appears to be burying its head in the sand. The most recent report on the social care activity of councils also painted a grim picture. It showed that the number of adults receiving care services has fallen by a quarter in five years. Why, when our population continues to age and older people face complex care needs?

We know that the Department of Health plans to introduce new national eligibility criteria in 2015, setting a minimum threshold for those applying for help with care, and making a step towards eliminating the postcode lottery of adult social care. But what about doing something to help those embroiled in the system today?

Anchor, along with 137,000 supporters, including the charity Relate, has been calling on the government to appoint a dedicated minister for older people. It's time these voices were heard.

Last summer we secured a crucial commons debate on the matter, at which MPs voted in favour of a motion calling for government to consider appointing a dedicated minister. The final decision now ultimately sits with the prime minister himself. His response is long overdue.

I call on David Cameron to seize the opportunity to properly acknowledge that huge changes are happening in our society in his autumn reshuffle. Only by making one person accountable for the evolving needs of our ageing society can we protect future generations, as well as vulnerable older people living in the UK today. I urge the prime minister to appoint a minister for older people without delay.

Read the original article on the Guardian website

Read more articles by Mario Ambrosi here.

Mario Ambrosi