About Us


MSOPC - the story so far!

We have now been in existence for five years.  We have a Constitution, an Equal Opportunities policy document, a Code of Conduct document, all of which have been submitted to MSDC for approval.   On our establishment, we expected to receive full support from MSDC as the creation of an Older People’s Council is an objective in the 2005/2006 MSDC Corporate Plan.


From our beginnings with a small Steering Committee of lay people, we have been in discussions with many organisations in Mid Sussex in order to extend the sphere of our Council.  Some have agreed to join our Committee.  Currently we have representatives from Age Concern, Anchor Staying Put, the U3A, Crawley and East Grinstead pensioner groups, SENPeC (we are affiliated to NPC nationally) and receive advice on medical issues affecting older people from a retired GP.



We arrange to attend other organisations’ committee meetings with the objective of promoting MSOPC to all interested older people in Mid Sussex.



We have arranged public meetings on topics that we were told in a survey conducted early in 2005 were of most concern/interest to Mid Sussex older people.  These were:


  • Concerns over the Princess Royal Hospital and the extent of the proposed changes;
  • Concerns over proposed changes in the availability of treatment for older people with mental illness;
  • Concerns over increasingly higher council tax charges;
  • Concerns over care in the community for older people;
  • Safety in the home and on the streets.


In November 2004 we held a public meeting addressed by Mike Wood, former Chief Executive of Mid Sussex PCT, and Colin Lindridge, Manager in charge of mental health services for older people.



In February 2005 we met the WSCC newly appointed Older People’s Champion, Graham Tyler.  Subsequently, we have liaised with his successor, Keith Mercer, who attended our Public Meeting on Council Tax, and on 30 August 2006 we are to meet the third holder of this post, Peter Evans.



August 2005 saw the first of our public meetings on changes in mental health treatment for older people and the amalgamation of three PCTs into one large grouping, and then a follow-up meeting on the implementation of those changes.



In November 2005 a public meeting on council tax attracted great interest, with a talk by Mr Nicholas Soames MP on issues affecting older people, and also talks by IsitFair, SENPeC and Serena Tierney, a local barrister, on alternatives to council tax.   We are in constant communication with Mr Soames who has at all times been very supportive.



In March 2006 we held our first AGM, followed by a talk from the Haywards Heath Police Safety Coordinator on safety in the home for older people, including awareness of the dangers of bogus callers, and Bronwen Collin of The Pensions Service also spoke on how to apply for pension credits and disability allowances, etc.



May 2006 saw yet another public meeting on the question of health care, with speakers from the PCT outlining changes in practice for the care of older patients both whilst in hospital and in the community upon discharge.  Special emphasis was given to the changes implemented since the BBC Panorama programme on the treatment of older people in Brighton Hospital caused much public outcry.



Our next public meeting, in September 2006, will be on the subject of writing a power of attorney, the legality or otherwise of the forced sale of personal property in order to finance residential care, and new laws emanating from Brussels affecting older people.



Additionally, in the autumn of 2005 we attended Older People’s Events organised by MSDC in East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill, where we were able to talk to those attending about MSOPC and network with other organisations.  We shall be attending the same events in 2006.



During 2005/2006 representatives of the Committee have attended consultations on the WSCC bid for Local Area Agreement funding and are in the process of organising meetings to ascertain what positive effect the funding now in place will have on the older people of Mid Sussex.



Representatives of the Committee have been in contact with, and have attended meetings of, the London Older People’s Strategy Group who have kept us up to date on any steps being taken in London to ameliorate the lives of older people.



Two representatives of the Committee attended Blackpool for the NPC Annual Parliament, and we now have a representative on the Executive Committee of SENPeC.



We have two regular seats on the Mid Sussex Older People’s Strategic Development Group.



Transport has become a very important subject in recent months and we have been in touch with officials both within Mid Sussex and West Sussex councils on behalf of residents who are experiencing transport problems, both generally and in connection with hospital appointments.  We have had some success in solving transport difficulties for some residents.  We are to meet with the Assistant Director in charge of patient transport on 8 September.



We have also been in contact with the WSCC Cabinet Member with responsibilities for adult education on the ever-increasing saga of class fees, which increase with alarming regularity way above the rate of inflation.  Older people, who generally attend vocational classes, are particularly hard hit.



We are affiliated to CVS and gave a presentation at their recent 2006 Summer Event.  Additionally, members of the Committee have attended seminars organised by CVS (e.g. on fund raising on line and desktop publishing)



Our growth to date will make it almost impossible for the organisation at some point in the not too distant future to continue to be run by volunteers.  We shall need funding for a paid part-time administrator/secretary.    London and East Sussex both have paid staff to carry out the day-to-day administration and MSOPC will have to look in this direction also.