Professor Chris Whitty’s annual report states that the government, policy-bodies and those in the medical practices need to improve the health of people as they grow older, with a focus on maximising independent living and minimising the time spent in ill-health.
The report also focuses on the geography of those living in older age. As typically, people move out of cities and into more rural areas, where public transport services may not be as frequent. Thus limiting people’s independence and making it difficult to attend medical appointments without the aid of family members.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) also calls for greater support for the health and social care sector and highlights social care as one of the under researched areas. And goes on to explain that this gap in knowledge is preventing government and industry bodies from helping people.
In his recommendations, he states: “The NHS, social care, central and local government must start planning more systematically on the basis of where the population will age in the future, rather than where demand was 10 years ago.”