Prof Ian Philp, National Director for Older People makes clear that with an increasingly ageing population the NHS and social care system needs to change.

The country’s leading older people’s doctor today publishes his “Recipe for Care” setting out the challenge ahead in looking after older people and why we need to change services to ensure they get the best possible care in the future.

The report includes personal accounts of how change is already a reality in parts of the NHS that has made a real difference for patients.

Announcing “Recipe for Care” report Prof Philp said:

“There are already many excellent examples of care for older people being delivered in new and different ways and settings and my report makes clear that this needs to be rolled out across the country.

This includes Ambulance Trusts working in partnership with NHS and social care colleagues to prevent falls and manage patients’ better after they have had a fall.

Early intervention is vital. For example more investment on falls and bone health could prevent 4,000 hip fractures and save 800 lives every year.  If every Strategic Health Authority spent £2m on this, they could each save £5m every year.

Welcoming Prof Philp’s report, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said:

“The NHS and social care services need to change because people’s needs are changing with an ageing population.  Older people everywhere are entitled to receive the best care from the NHS and social care that is already available in some parts of the country.

Older people have told us loud and clear that they want the NHS to do more to prevent illness and more to keep them living independently in their own homes”.

Prof Philp stated: “What I am recommending is a five point plan to change older people’s services for the better; early intervention, long-term conditions management, early supported discharge, acute hospital care when needed and partnership working.  This is already happening in some areas but it needs to happen across the country”.

Prof Philp has made it clear that early intervention and more and better services in the community will give older people what they need and want.

Our existing services were not designed with older people’s needs in mind so we need to improve and reorganise services to better meet their needs.

Recipe for Care by Prof. Ian Philp is available on the Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk
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