THE BIG Q CAMPAIGN -
QUALITY NOT INEQUALITY IN SOCIAL CARE
This new campaign has recently been launched to promote awareness of the poor 
quality and inconsistency of care being offered to older people, both in Residential Care Homes and in their own homes. Age Concern Leicester Shire & Rutland are planning to hold a "listening event" to discuss the problems people have experienced in obtaining proper care, getting relevant financial advice, and what difficulties they had once a care plan was put into place.
A local MP will be attending the listening event and it is hoped the facts we can put before him will be filtered back to the House of Commons before a planned Green Paper on Care and Support is drawn up by Government. Any information you can give us could really help with future care reforms.
If you have any comments to make on this subject or would like to attend the event
please contact Shirley Stokes on 0116 2237348 after the 15th July 2008.
More information
Quality not Inequality - Age Concern's vision for the future of quality social care
HUNGRY TO BE HEARD 
The purpose of the "Hungry to be Heard" campaign to try to get mealtimes in hospitals improved.
Various complaints have been received from patients and family members highlighting major problems when food was left at the bedside and patients were unable to reach, see or simply were unable to feed themselves. Patients were reliant on someone helping them to eat or they simply went without food altogether which in turn leads to malnutrition.
Age Concern Leicester Shire & Rutland has been working with the NHS and to date some major changes have taken place on the wards. The campaign will continue to ensure the issue remains on the agenda.
POST OFFICE CLOSURES
Following the Post Office's announcement that 25 Post Offices were due for closure across the Leicestershire and Rutland area, Age Concern has been keeping a watchful eye on the situation. Letters were sent to the Consultative Team prior to any final decisions being made on the closures. Age Concern highlighted the importance of post offices within communities and emphasised the difficulties older people will face if their local branch was closed.
Unfortunately, only one Post Office has been saved and the closures are due to go ahead in the not too distant future. Age Concern Leicester Shire & Rutland will be keeping a watchful eye on the situation once some of the promised outreach services are put into place.
On the 19th March 2008 MP's will be debating the issue and some MPs will be urging the government to suspend all closures.
FEET FOR PURPOSE 
Age Concern England launched this campaign following concerns by older people regarding foot care provision. Age Concern's across the country have taken part by highlighting the issue through newspapers and open day events. Here at Age Concern Leicester Shire & Rutland we have been endeavouring to ascertain what NHS Podiatry services are available to people in the Leicestershire and Rutland area and to date the services seem to vary from area to area. In some parts of the county there are waiting lists due to the lack of podiatrists. Home visits are very difficult to arrange.
We have sent a letter to the Primary Care Trust outlining our concerns about the poor service and we now await a reply. Many elderly people are losing their mobility and are becoming housebound due to the lack of foot care and, therefore, this campaign will continue with the hope that extra funding will be found by the NHS to improve this crucial area of healthcare.
More information
PERSONAL EXPENSES
The Personal Expenses campaign highlights the amount of money elderly people are allowed to have to cover their personal expenses whilst living in a Residential Care Home and being funded by the Local Authority. The amount presently stands at a mere £19.60 per week. This amount is intended to allow people to buy new clothes, books, newspapers, chocolate/sweets, birthday presents, Christmas gifts, hairdresser's costs, hobbies, days out etc. Age Concern would like to see this amount raised to £40 per week and have campaigned vigorously to alert local MPs of the situation.
The campaign also included asking people to fill in specially designed cards and return them to Age Concern England. Over 1,000 cards have been collected and as a result of this campaign the Department of Health has announced that it will hold a 12 week consultation on the level of the Allowance this spring.
More information
OTHER CAMPAIGNS FOR 2008/09
A year long calendar of campaigns under the heading of "More Money in Your Pocket" will be launched in April 2008.
We will be focusing on a new benefit or set of benefits every two months:
April/May - Promote Council Tax and Housing Benefit
June/ July - Carers Benefits
August/September - Pension Credit
October/November - Help with Heating Costs
December/January - Help with Health Costs
February/March - Attendance Allowance & Disability Living Allowance
Shirley Stokes
Campaigns Co-ordinator