Older people in Allerdale will have an opportunity on Friday (1 August) to tell Tony Cunningham MP about how their care and support services could be improved.
The event, at St Michael's Church in Workington, is linked to a Cumbria County Council and Government consultation, and is part of a major new Age Concern campaign called 'The Big Q' - a challenge to politicians to give a commitment to improved the quality of life for older people.
The Big Q set out five building blocks for the foundation of a new quality care system in its recent report, 'Quality not Inequality':
•respecting people’s dignity
•enabling people to maintain their independence
•ensuring fairness for all who need care
•giving clarity about getting the support you need
•increasing the amount of money available to provide quality care
Invitations have been sent out to older people from across Allerdale, and the conclusions from the discussion day in Workington will form part of a countywide report to the county council's Adult and Cultural Services.
It will also feed into a nationwide consultation the Government is currently carrying out on this issue, before it puts forward new proposals for the future of care services next year.
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For more information, contact Alison Lister, Cumbria County Council media officer on 01228 226335 email alison.lister@cumbriacc.gov.uk or David Day, Age Concern, on 01946 66669 email research@ageconcern-nwc.org.uk
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To get a free copy of the campaign report Quality not Inequality go to www.ageconcern.org.uk/care (external link) or call the Age Concern information line on freephone 0800 00 99 66.