Select committee: Science and Technology Committee
Conclusion 51
1st Report - Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living
Published 15 Jan 2021
Paragraph 348
Science and Technology Committee Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Technology and services can contribute to independence and social connectedness in old age, and to health to a lesser extent, but it seems unlikely that they can add five years of healthy and independent living by 2035. Moreover, there is a risk of technology and services widening health inequalities in old age, due to barriers to uptake that are more prevalent in disadvantaged groups. The Government will have to intervene decisively and for the long-term in order to make these tools ubiquitous and beneficial for the whole population in old age.
From: Science and Technology Committee, 1st Report - Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living, paragraph 348, 15 January 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 15 March 2021 (deadline 15 March 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it is determined to tackle health inequalities and is already acting, states that some recommendations are already implemented, does not support making Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment a core part of medical training, and will review the 2017 Grand Challenges and missions.
- On a designated clinician for older patients, the government says the recommendation "has already been implemented", citing the requirement that patients aged 75 and over be assigned an accountable GP.
- It states "We do not support" making the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment a core part of medical training, saying it "would not be appropriate" for all specialties as the assessment is not relevant to them.
- On health inequalities, it says it will come forward with proposals in response to the Prevention Green Paper "in due course", which will form elements of plans to reduce inequalities over the next Parliament.
- On the Ageing Society Grand Challenge, it says it will review the 2017 Grand Challenges and missions as part of work on a new Innovation Strategy, to be developed "in the coming months".