Lords Committee Quiz Civil Service Head Sir Bob Kerslake on how Government will respond to the Ageing Population
19 December 2012
The House of Lords Select Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change took evidence from Sir Bob Kerslake, Head of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, as its inquiry continues into how the state and society can respond to the challenges raised by an ageing society
The Committee heard from Sir Bob at 11:30am on Tuesday 18 December in Committee Room 2A of the House of Lords.
The Committee asked him about what the civil service plans to do to help develop affordable policies that will make sure older people’s needs aren’t overlooked. The Committee also discussed how Sir Bob intends to ensure departments work together to deliver co-ordinated and effective services for older people.
Prior to this Committee, at 9:30am, met with high-profile experts working on health and social care policies, as well as the chief care regulator, to discuss what could be done to make sure older people get an acceptable standard of care.
Committee members quizzed Professor Chris Ham, Chief Executive of the King’s Fund; Dr Jennifer Dixon, Director of the Nuffield Trust; Professor David Behan, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission; and Dr Chai Patel, Chairman of HC-One. The witnesses were asked how the fragmentation of funding between health and social care can be overcome to provide better, more joined-up services for older people, as well as what role the private sector should play in encouraging innovation in health and social care.