This is just to clarify that my recommendation against bringing over more overseas speakers is a budgetary concern only. If overseas speakers were willing to pay for themselves to come over, and if they had something to say that was of relevance to a UK audience, then they would of course be very welcome to speak at HEN seminars. 

 

If HEN had unlimited resources I would of course love to pay for everyone to attend, irrespective of where they live. Unfortunately, however, I find myself living in the real world. 



	-----Original Message----- 

	From: Barbara Krimgold [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 

	Sent: Sun 11/24/2002 3:42 PM 

	To: [log in to unmask] 

	Cc: 

	Subject: RE: Question

	

	



	Philip,

	

	Although Adam's recommends against bringing speakers from outside of the UK,

	FYI there are two thoughtful experts on your topics in the US.  First,

	Marilyn Moon, a top expert on US Medicare over the past 20 years, also a

	columnist on Medicare in the Washington Post and a public member of the

	Social Security Commission. Second, Deborah Stone, a very original scholar

	now at Dartmouth, who studied disability and whose latest research project

	is on Care and Citizenship (what kind of care are citizens entitled to? and

	what about the caregivers?)  Equity is a

	central theme in their work around citizens & medical/disability/long term

	care.

	

	Barbara Krimgold

	Center for the Advancement of Health

	US

	  

	

	-----Original Message-----

	From: Oliver,AJ

	To: [log in to unmask]

	Sent: 11/24/02 7:48 AM

	Subject: Re: Question

	

	Deart Philip

	

	Thanks for your suggestions (though personally I'm far from convinced

	that more health care resources should go to the elderly, as the elderly

	already consume the lion's share of available health care resources,

	though your point may be more to do with use of, rather than amount of,

	resources), and indeed to everyone else who has made suggestions for

	seminars. I am, however, looking for more than just suggestions. I'm

	looking for people who would basically be willing to organise the whole

	seminar (i.e. pull a complete programme together, invite speakers and

	discussants, give me a quote re. budget etc.). I'm willing to help out

	in inviting speakers (so long as I am given names and contact details),

	in publicising any event and collecting the list of attendees, and I can

	probably book a room at the LSE if necessary. But, at least for a year

	or so, I'm not willing to organise another HEN seminar in its entirety.

	

	Some of you have given me reasonably detailed plans for seminars, and

	there is at least one seminar that looks as though it will probably go

	ahead. We'll make a decision re. seminars within the next week or so,

	but if you would like to run a seminar could you give me: 1) its theme;

	2) list of speakers/discussants/chairs and contact details - unless

	there is very special circumstances, we can't bring anyone else from

	overseas, due to expense; 3) estimated budget (a crucial piece of

	information); 4) suggested date; 5) suggested number of attendees.

	

	Thanks

	

	Adam

	 

	-----Original Message-----

	From: Philip Dawson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]

	Sent: Sun 11/24/2002 9:35 AM

	To: Oliver,AJ

	Cc: [log in to unmask]

	Subject: RE: Question

	

	

	

	        Dear Adam,   Congratulations on such prudence!

	       

	        I'm concerned that in my own general practice the group that is

	most

	        disenfranchised by the health care system are the elderly

	physically and

	        mentally infirm.  They often have fixed ideas great difficulty

	adapting

	        to change and are at risk of elder abuse often due to financial

	        exploitation. They are expected to use up their own resources to

	fund

	        their health care.

	       

	        The elderly are likely to represent a much bigger component of

	our

	        health care system in the near [next 20y] future.  Perhaps the

	chance to

	        look at how they should be cared for and the current health

	inequalities

	        in the care of the older person would be relevant.

	       

	        One big issue for me is when does palliative care rather than

	        interventional care become the best and most economic option for

	care.

	        Most of the time the health care professionals do not know the

	answer,

	        if there is one.

	       

	          Certainly with health care interventions the risks are

	greater.  I.e.

	        the intervention is slightly more likely to have disastrous

	        consequences, such as stroke or heart attack.  However if the

	        intervention is successful, then quality of life is high and

	conversely

	        demands on society for caring resources are much lower.

	       

	        This shows up currently in health care circles by the term 'bed

	        blocker'.  Is this a form of elder abuse by health

	professionals?  It

	        certainly represents a failure of appropriate use of resources

	by the

	        caring professions.  Maybe the expediency of the urgent, quasi

	health

	        problems is outweighing the overall importance of society's

	obligation

	        to care for our less able members, many of whom are elderly.

	       

	        I heard the other day that cognitive performance in old age was

	        inversely related to your systolic blood pressure at the age of

	50!  It

	        maybe that the answer to some of these problems relies upon our

	own

	        attitudes to our health care at present.

	       

	        So may I suggest two separate seminars!!

	       

	        1. What would be the value of long term investment in health

	care?  If

	        we know people are going to live for 80 years then surely our

	health

	        care investment must be for at least that time or preferably

	longer.

	        What are the national health care plans for that length of time?

	       

	        2. Society's acquiescence to covert elder abuse.  How can we

	give policy

	        makers simple feedback about the conundrums of care of the

	elderly in

	        today's society?

	       

	        Thanks for running the seminars I have enjoyed them

	       

	        Kind regards

	       

	        Philip Dawson

	       

	       

	       

	        -----Original Message-----

	        From: The Health Equity Network (HEN)

	        [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of

	Oliver,AJ

	        Sent: 20 November 2002 20:59

	        To: [log in to unmask]

	        Subject: Question

	       

	        Hello

	       

	        As many of you know, I've been holding an ESRC seminars grant

	for HEN

	        for the past couple of years. The grant was given for 6 seminars

	up to

	        April 2003 - the last one of these six will take place in March

	2003.

	       

	        I was awarded £12,600 for all six seminars, but I'll underspend

	by

	        several thousand pounds I think. The ESRC won't let us keep any

	of the

	        money after the deadline, but they will allow me to run

	additional

	        events within the deadline.

	       

	        I don't know whether I've got the energy to pull another one of

	these

	        things together completely under my own steam before March, but

	if any

	        of you have ideas and would be willing to pull a programme

	together for

	        a one day seminar that you'd find interesting (it must have an

	health

	        equity-related theme), I'd be willing to consider it.

	       

	        Let me know if you're interested.

	       

	        Adam