Earlier this year, we published our ‘Voices of Concern’ report following engagement with over 1,200 older people. The report highlighted ongoing challenges older people have when it comes to accessing care, with many describing difficulties getting GP appointments, experiencing long waits for treatment and increasing barriers to social care support.
Our report found that demand for services is rising far faster than capacity, with older people increasingly feeling “shut out” of the system and concerned about their ability to access the care they need. The scale of demographic change means pressures on the health and social care system will continue to intensify for many years to come.
Today, the Department of Health published a new framework, which acknowledges our ‘Voices of Concern’ report and which sets out their ambition to deliver more care closer to home in order to strengthen prevention and help with growing pressures across our health and social care system.
Responding to the publication, the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Siobhan Casey said:
“Our Voices of Concern report made clear that many older people are struggling to access the care and support they need, and that demand is continuing to grow faster than the system’s capacity to respond.
“While I welcome the Department of Health acknowledging these pressures and setting out proposals for reform (and I’m also pleased to see our work referenced in the report), only time will tell how effective these proposals will be, particularly given the scale of demand, workforce pressures and budget restraints.
“Older people are already in a precarious position, and meaningful improvement will depend on sustained action and delivery over time.
“We will continue to engage with the Department and closely monitor whether these proposals lead to real improvements in older people’s experiences of care.”
