Emma Lewell MP: Call for a Commissioner for Older People in England not a new one but its urgency is greater
In England there are more than 11 million people aged over 65 and that number is likely to grow to 17 million by 2040.
In South Shields we have 18,700 people over 65. Yet, unlike Northern Ireland and Wales, we don’t have a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing.
The call for a Commissioner for Older People in England is not a new one but its urgency is becoming greater.
Parliament created a Children’s Commissioner to ensure that children are ‘front and centre’ of any policy and legislation development that affects them. When things go wrong, they have an independent advocate. We have not afforded the same consideration to older people.
I know from my time as a children’s’ social worker that children can have lots of external involvement their lives – health visitors, teachers and neighbours. Older people, especially those who may be housebound, with no family and limited contact with others, might have no one advocating or looking out for them at all.
For an older person, falling ‘through the cracks’ is more likely.
Everything the general population is currently struggling with – the cost of living, poor transport, appropriate housing, digital by default services, access to dental care or GP and hospital appointments are all felt more acutely by older people.
We have also seen, through Covid and decisions on the Winter Fuel Allowance, what happens when older voices are absent from policy decisions. Any ongoing debates and planning for the future of social care absolutely must be informed by older people. Service reforms cannot and will not work without their knowledge and expertise.
The best way to guarantee a better future for older people in England is through a dedicated Commissioner. It can’t be left to individual government ministers. Older people’s issues cut across all departments. A strong, independent voice with statutory powers – informing, holding all departments and public bodies to account and making better policies would ensure a better future for our growing older population.
Learning from elsewhere indicates that when older people are listened to, positive change happens. Ageing is inevitable for most people, so we are all stakeholders in this.