16. Evidence submitted by the Civil Service
Pensioners' Alliance (PPI 34)
1. We are a campaigning organisation, which
represents Civil Service pensioners. We are an independent, non-party
political organisation with an elected Executive Council and an
annual policy-making conference. We have about 65,000 members,
who are retired from every Civil Service department, grade and
location, and our income is derived from membership subscriptions.
We receive no financial help from outside bodies. We are affiliated
to many pensioner organisations, such as the National Pensioners'
Convention and Age Concern and, under their umbrella, we campaign
on behalf of pensioners at large. We have about 100 local Groups
throughout the UK who are in regular contact with pensioners.
Therefore we are well placed to represent pensioners" concerns.
For the avoidance of doubt, we do not represent pensioners previously
employed in the National Health Service.
2. We have previously welcomed the establishment
of the Commission for Public and Patient Involvement in Health
and also the Forums which have been established under its remit,
involving interaction with Primary Care and Hospital Trusts at
a local level. One of the strengths of the Forums has been their
independence from the Statutory Bodies. They have also avoided
the party political connotations, which exist within the local
authorities. This independence has enabled them to initiate enquiries
and surveys into the provision of services and, where appropriate,
to seek changes from the position of authority which independence
brings. A further beneficial feature of the existing Forums has
been the political neutrality of the appointments and the wide
age range of those appointed. We have welcomed the appointment
of older people to the Forums, which has enabled them to understand
the particular needs of older people who are dependent upon National
Health Service provision.
3. Whilst we regret the demise of these
existing bodies, we consider that the proposal to establish Local
Involvement Networks can serve as an equally effective forum.
We also welcome the proposal to include Social Care as well as
Health issues. However, there should not be any reduction in the
level of independence, nor should any age restrictions be placed
upon appointments to the new bodies. It is important that the
views and needs of older people should continue to be fully represented.
4. It is our view that the existing statutory
powers should continue, with right of access to NHS premises to
conduct inspections and investigations. These powers should be
extended to enable inspections to take place in premises where
the NHS contract services from voluntary organisations or commercial
companies and to those providing residential social care. The
re-organisation should be used as an opportunity to extend the
provision of Public and Patient Involvement in the NHS and social
care, rather than constrict it.
5. In short, the public should continue
to have a say in what they require from the NHS and there should
be provision to encourage the involvement of older people at every
level and to consider their particular needs.
6. I hope that this submission is sufficiently
clear but, should the Committee need any further explanation,
we would, of course, be pleased to supply it either in writing
or orally at a committee hearing.
John Amos
Deputy General Secretary
Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance
8 January 2007
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