A Department of Health expert has called for councils to be given an enhanced role in looking after older people. Professor Ian Philp, national director for older people, has praised pathfinders for the increasing amount of co-operation between councils, the NHS and voluntary groups caring for the elderly in his new report, Next steps in implementing the national service framework for older people. Prof Philp said healthcare agencies needed to work more closely together to ensure a simple and single way of assessing older people's care needs. A recent review by Sir Derek Wanless said an extra £4.2bn of public money needed to be spent on social care for older people every year, while the ~Local Government Association~ and ~Association of Directors of Social Services~ reported last month there was a £1.76bn black hole in national social care budgets.
