THE BROMSGROVE Older People’s Forum, which closed last year after more than 20 years, is being brought back next month.
The group closing was a great loss for the older residents. The committee was stepping down and there was no-one else to take the group on.
Since then, the Bromsgrove Primary Care Network (PCN) has been looking to bring the group back in a long-term sustainable way.
The PCN covers Bromsgrove district’s nine GP Surgeries and delivers NHS contracts as part of the district collaborative.
At the PCN-hosted PPG (Patient Participation Group), concerns were raised to the PCN assistant manager Laura Wilson, who runs the PPG, about the forum’s closure.
‘Combating loneliness’
The PCN directors said they recognised the importance of the group for local residents, how it represented their individual needs and the how it also provided a great social opportunity. With loneliness being of concern for the older population, they were keen to support getting the group up and running again.
PCN manager Sarah Tara and Laura approached Katie Kehoe, the PCN’s health and wellbeing partnership co-ordinator for the Bromsgrove District Collaborative, to find a way to re-launch the group.
Katie said: “I’m really pleased to be launching and hosting the new Bromsgrove Older Peoples Forum.
“The forum gives the older residents a voice and the opportunity to raise concerns they have and to discuss issues relevant to them.
“It will provide an opportunity for a social gathering each month and regular speakers will be asked to attend to discuss topics of interest.
“The meetings will also offer a way for residents to access information about health, local events, services and activities in the community that are relevant to them.”
Have your say
She added she wanted to hear from the area’s older people about activities they would like to participate in and issues and topics they would like to find out about.
The first meeting will run from 10am to 12pm on February 12 at Chandler Court care home in Recreation Road.
After that, the group will meet there between 10am and 12pm on the second Wednesday of every month.
Visit bromsgrovedistrictpcn.co.uk/pcn-events/ for more on the forum and to put forward ideas for activities, topics and guest speakers.
