A new health and social care programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund is set to give people in later life more choice and better services so they can enjoy a better quality of life.
The programme, called Transform Ageing, is run by a partnership between the South West Academic Health Science Network (SW AHSN), Design Council, UnLtd, and the Centre for Ageing Better.
Developed over a number of years, the project received £3.65m funding from the Big Lottery Fund this summer to kick-start the process in the south-west of England.
The idea behind the project is to bring together people in later life, social entrepreneurs and commissioners of health and social care services to define, develop and deliver new solutions that better support the needs and aspirations of ageing communities in the South West.
Jon Siddall, Director of Innovation, SW AHSN said: “We are really excited to be part of this pioneering programme and working with our partners to support community-led responses to the needs of our population in the South West. We look forward to building partnerships with our NHS member organisations, local authorities, communities and social entrepreneurs to help put individuals at the centre of how we redesign support for people in later life.”
Rt Hon Prof. Paul Burstow, former Minister of State for Care, said: “I am excited to be involved in the Transform Ageing programme and the real difference it can make to people in their later lives. Transform Ageing offers a practical approach to making communities in the South West more age-ready. Using design innovation that starts with the experience of people in their later lives and taps into the energy of social entrepreneurs and the insight of health and local government to devise practical solutions. Above all, this programme has the potential to deliver new, scalable and sustainable solutions that meet the needs and aspirations of our ageing communities across the UK.”
Clare Devine, Executive Director, Design Council, said: “The programme is all about enabling effective, people-centred innovation in products, services, places and spaces. Through first-class research, collaborative working and rigorous design Transform Ageing will enable local communities to take charge of their unique care needs and generate tangible, creative and engaging solutions to health and social care challenges in the South West.”
The programme will use collaborative design techniques to create a new generation of user-led health and social care solutions which tackle the real priority issues of people in later life.
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