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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Proactive, targeted benefits advice for older people in general practice
— a feasibility study | | Author(s) | Daniel Toeg, Liz Mercer, Steve Iliffe |
| Journal title | Health & Social Care in the Community, vol 11, no 2, March 2003 |
| Pages | pp 124-128 |
| Keywords | Social security benefits ; Advisory services [elderly] ; Octogenarians ; General practice ; Pilot ; Camden. |
| Annotation | Primary care is an effective base from which advice can be delivered to older people. This project's aim was to assess a welfare benefits and advice screening programme offered in a systematic and inclusive way to all patients aged 80+ registered with a single general practice. The setting was an inner city NHS 7-partner group practice in Camden. Of the 280 registered patients identified as aged 80+, contact was made with 206. A wide range of advice and assistance of both a statutory and non-statutory nature was offered. Follow-up contact and liaison with the patients' own GPs were arranged as necessary. In total, the adviser made 98 home visits, carried out 82 consultations in the surgery, and conducted 109 telephone interviews. An overall £137,819 was gained in increased annual income amongst the screened patients; an additional £11,433 was awarded in one-off payments. A wide range of other benefits and help, including referral to other services and organisations, was gained. Older patients were therefore under-claiming benefits and had many previously unidentified needs. The development of closer working relationships between primary care and advice services can be an efficient and effective way of helping patients. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-030319205 A |
| Classmark | JH: IT: BBM: L5: 4UC: 82L8 |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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