Fife user panel - Involving older people
Agencies involved:
Age Concern Scotland, Fife Council Social Work, NHS Fife
Technique used:
Relevant publications:
Better government for older people, Involving older people: lessons for Community Planning
Background
Fife User Panels were set up in 1992 in response to one of the recommendations of the NHS and Community Care Act of 1990 which stated that local authorities should consult with users of their services. Age Concern Scotland saw this as a positive opportunity to consult directly with older people, particularly those who are more isolated and harder to reach, enabling them to have their voices heard and providing an opportunity to influence the planning and provision of Community Care services for older people.
Involving older people
The criteria for Panel members are that they are older people over 70 years of age, living at home and less able to get out and about without assistance. Panel members must also be users or potential users of community care services. Nominations for Panel members are sought from health, social work and voluntary sector agencies.
There are currently seven Panels in Fife meeting on a monthly basis with Panel members becoming more confident in sharing their experiences. This is evident from the instant dialogue which occurs when representatives from health and social work attend meetings at the invitation of Panel members, or at their own request, in order to consult with them. Researchers piloting pieces of work also find this particularly helpful in validating their work as they are hearing the views of older people direct.
An Advisory Group monitors the work of the Panels to ensure that the issues raised by Panel members at their meetings are fed into the planning process at a level where they can influence the services being provided. This is done with the guidance and advice of the health and social work agencies represented on the Group.
The original Advisory Group included three older people who worked with Age Concern Scotland staff to provide advice on the planning of the initiative. One of these older people continues to be a member of the Advisory Group and since 1999 has been joined by Panel members representing their individual Panels.
Achievements
The Fife User Panels model is widely recognised and the Panels have influenced, been consulted on and had input to - health and social work service provision within Fife; Age Concern Scotland’s Elder Abuse Project booklet – STOP the abuse of senior citizens; NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Draft Standards; World Health Organisation research through the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh; Scottish Executive Joint Future Group on joint working in delivering community care services; Adding Life to Years – Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on Older People; BBC Radio Scotland programme, The Investigation on ‘Care for Older People in Scotland’; Mental Health and Wellbeing in later life with The Royal Bank of Scotland Centre for the Older Person’s Agenda, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh.
Contact
To find out more about the work of Fife User Panels and this particular model of user involvement together with the contribution the older people have made to service provision and research in Fife as well as UK wide since 1992, please contact:
Co-ordinator
Fife User Panels
Age Concern Scotland
11 Wemyssfield
KIRKCALDY
KY1 1XN
Tel: 01592 204273
Fax: 01592 644693
