Notes to editors
- For further information or interviews, please contact the King's Fund media and public relations office on 020 7307 2585, 020 7307 2632 or 020 7307 2581. An ISDN line is available for interviews on 020 7637 0185.
- The King’s Fund announced in January 2005 that Sir Derek Wanless, former Group Chief Executive of NatWest Group, would undertake a review into the long-term funding of social care for older people. The terms of reference for the Review were:
- To examine the technological, demographic and health trends over the next fifteen to twenty years that are likely to affect the demand for and nature of social care in England.
- In the light of this, to identify the financial and other resources required to ensure that those who need social care are able to secure comprehensive and high quality services.
- To consider how such services might be paid for bearing in mind the King’s Fund’s commitment to reducing inequalities in health and social care.
- Sir Derek Wanless’ report – Securing Good Social Care for Older People: Taking a long-term view – is published today. The report is free to download from the King’s Fund website.
- Sir Derek led a team of economists and social care specialists based at the King’s Fund. The review was undertaken in collaboration with the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at The London School of Economics. Dr Julien Forder, senior research fellow and deputy director of PSSRU at the London School of Economics was seconded to the review as project manager.
- Sir Derek Wanless has prepared two significant reports for the government on the NHS: Our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View (April 2002), and Securing Good Health for the Whole Population (February 2004), and has also conducted an inquiry into health and social care in Wales for the Welsh Assembly. He graduated in mathematics from King’s College, Cambridge, and then qualified as a Member of the Institute of Statisticians and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, of which he was President in 1999. He is a banker, having joined NatWest Group in 1970, and progressing to become its Group Chief Executive from 1992 until 1999. He is currently a director of Northern Rock plc and Northumbrian Water Group plc and Vice Chairman of the Statistics Commission. Derek was appointed a Trustee at NESTA in September 2000. Northern Rock is a provider of equity release products.
- In June 2005 the King’s Fund published the findings of a year-long inquiry into care services for older people in London. The report, The Business of Caring: King's Fund inquiry into care services for older people in London drew on the experience of older people and their carers, care staff and managers, regulators, and commissioners. The Inquiry concluded that there are major shortcomings in the current care system that disadvantage older people and their carers. The report from the inquiry can be downloaded free from the King’s Fund website.
- The government commissioned a review of how to fund long-term care for the elderly through a Royal Commission report in 1999. The Royal Commission on Long Term Care was set up to examine short and long term options for funding long term care for older people. The Commission made 24 recommendations. This included a recommendation that personal care should be free, a proposal that was rejected by the government.
- The King’s Fund is an independent charitable foundation working for better health, especially in London. We carry out research, policy analysis and development activities, working on our own, in partnerships, and through funding. We are a major resource to people working in health and social care, offering leadership development programmes; seminars and workshops; publications; information and library services; and conference and meeting facilities.