APPENDIX 5
Memorandum from the Continuing Care Conference
The Continuing Care Conference (CCC) is a broad-based
coalition of commercial, charitable and public service organisations
with complementary experience and expertise and a shared interest
in providing better care for older people, both now and in the
longer term.
With actuaries represented within CCC, the organisation
is very conscious of demographic trends and the importance of
collecting sound data on which to plan and provide for future
services for older people. The ageing of the population has important
consequences for the financing and provision of long-term care
and the direction of Government policy in this area. In 1998,
CCC commissioned a multidisciplinary study group to report on
the prevention of dependency in later life. The group's report
Fit for the Future: The Prevention of Dependency in Later Life
noted that the compression of morbidity was the key to containing
future long-term care costs and enhancing the wellbeing of older
people. Our research highlighted several deficiencies in the availability
of data. One of the main recommendations was that a long-term
longitudinal survey should be established and maintained and that
existing data sources should be reviewed and improved substantially,
encouraging the sharing and linkage of those cross-sectional datasets
available.
The work of the GAD has been critical in enabling
projections to be made in relation to the possible future demand
for and cost of long-term care. Whatever changes to GAD's role
and future status, it is important that such a function is not
lost or diluted. Indeed, there needs to be an increase in such
data collection and analysis. What is important is not necessarily
where the function is located organisationally (GAD, Office for
National Statistics, National Care Standards Commission, or wherever)
but that it is properly resourced; contains appropriate expertise,
including actuarial skills; does not lose its integrity; and is
capable of being carried out and improved upon.
15 January 2001
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