MP SEES ELDERLY PENSIONERS AS MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th Jul 2002

"The whole rationale of NICE and HTBS was to put an end to the postcode rationing of drugs on the NHS and to ensure equal access for all. If it is the view of Government that the availability of new drugs and other technologies through the NHS should be determined on the basis of independent clinical advice, the Government must be prepared to make available the necessary funding to support that independent advice."

John Thurso said he saw elderly pensioners as the most vulnerable group.

"Those of us who are in work and who still have the opportunity to create wealth for the future can accept that we shall need new ways of dealing with pensions. However, some people have already retired. They have their entire working lives behind them: they paid their stamp and they expected, as of right, that the state would make provision for them to enjoy a reasonable retirement. It is too late for those pensioners to make provision and we have a special duty to look after them.

I welcome the minimum income guarantee and the pensioner credit but I have two specific concerns. The provisions are very complicated and pensioners simply do not want to seek advice - particularly if they are proud and elderly or live in remote areas. If one asks whether they know about this or that, they will accept help, but they will not ask for it on their own. The Citizens Advice Bureau has done a tremendous amount of good work on this issue: government needs to do a great deal more. Ministers must consider as a matter of urgency how to make schemes simpler and be far more pro-active in reaching the targets we all want to reach."

The MP drew attention to the problems which the introduction of the universal bank at local post offices could present for the elderly. "People should not be pushed towards bank accounts but retain the option of staying with the Post Office. Many older people may be quite happy for their carers to take their pension books to the post office, collect the money, do the shopping and return with the change. They are not happy to give their Switch cards to their carers and ask them to go to the automated telling machine."