Spring in our step: the latest from Lisa’s desk

CSPA General Secretary, Lisa Ray shares her thoughts on the past month.

Hello and welcome to my update. Spring weather has been a mixed bag and I hope there will soon be some lovely summer weather to enjoy over the upcoming Bank Holidays. Whatever you are planning to do, enjoy it!

It is as always, a busy time for us at HQ office. The round of group AGMs are now complete and Regional Meetings are now being organised over the early summer. Preparations are now also underway for the Annual General Meeting in October and groups will shortly receive a circular inviting nominations and motions for submission by early July.

We had an excellent meeting of the Executive Council last week. Discussing campaigns on access to GPs and NHS Dentists, Social Care, a commissioner for older people (England and Scotland) work underway on a recruitment strategy, the CSPA Regional and Group structure, Civil Service Pensions- including the two webinars that CSPA have jointly hosted with the Cabinet Office on the Pension Remedy (McCloud) which will feed directly into the Cabinet Office consultation, and our work with Later Life Ambitions, Age UK and Independent Age on the Pensioners’ Manifesto.

I was also pleased to reflect that CSPA has made strides to improve balanced representation on the Council, requiring a rule change and some debate over the past few years. Roisin Lilley took her seat as an NEC member in a post reserved for a woman. Another reserved post will become available at the AGM in October. I know there are lots of talented women out there and your views and life experience can help to formulate balanced decisions to steer CSPA. If you are interested in getting more involved, I encourage you to put yourself forward for election.

I write this column with mixed feelings as it will be one of my last as General Secretary of CSPA. After 10 years it is time for me to move on with my career and to do something new. I have learned so much from day one, with challenges and rewards along the way. I leave behind a reshaped culture, and I am proud of the work I have instigated and the staff I have recruited into HQ Office to help modernise CSPA and deliver a more professional service. I am confident that the CSPA will continue to build on the solid basis that we now have in place. I would like to thank all members and colleagues for their support over my time at the helm, and to encourage you to keep backing the CSPA so that it can continue to protect what you have earned. Details of some of our current campaigns are below.

I am aware that people can feel embarrassed when claiming support. We would all prefer State Pension income sufficient to live a dignified retirement, but that is not currently the case. According to a HM Revenue and Customs Impact Assessment, as many as 6.1 million pensioners have an income below the basic tax threshold of £12.570. Pension Credit is a necessary top up to the UK State Pension. I would encourage anyone entitled to claim (if you have reached state pension age and have an income of less than £201.05 if you’re single or £306.85 if you’re a couple) to do so by calling the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.

We have put our support behind the Royal College of General Practitioners Fit for the Future Campaign to improve the service provided to patients and ease the pressure on GPs. You can find out more about the Campaign here; https://rcgp.eaction.org.uk/GP-Pressures-Public

MPs were due to debate progress on reforms to NHS dentistry last week, this is not just affecting older people, but all generations who need regular treatments at the reduced cost provided by the NHS. This is a concern for the CSPA Health Monitoring Group. There are horror stories in the media of those forced to extract their own teeth and raise money online to buy dentures.

If you have experienced problems accessing a dentist in England then you may wish to register a complaint with the NHS at this link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/

You can write to:  NHS England at PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT or by email to: england.contactus@nhs.net. If you are making a complaint, please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.

Or by telephone: 0300 311 22 33 Opening hours are 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays from 9.30am. Closed on bank holidays.

We are also behind Independent Age’s campaign for a Commissioner for Older People in England and in Scotland. You can sign a statement of support here: https://www.independentage.org/campaigning/commissioner