Burnham grills First Minister on Government provision of advocacy services.

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 3rd Jun 2008

Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, criticised the First Minister today over the Assembly Government's provision of advocacy services for older people. Ms Burnham is concerned that the current advocacy services available to older people in North Wales are intermittent, understaffed and under funded.

Eleanor Burnham, chair of the Assembly cross party group on old people and ageing said:

"Some areas of the country, including Denbighshire and Gwynedd, have no specific advocacy services and this picture is repeated in other areas across Wales.

"Whilst the Commissioner for Older People will help provide a further source of advocacy, the Assembly Government is still failing to provide an adequate provision of independent and generic advocacy services to older people across the country.

"I realise that it may take time to create these services but the Health Minister is not taking advantage of existing advocacy services and expertise available.

"In North Wales, we have seen the loss of four advocacy services in the last 18 months. An Age Concern specialist Advocacy service for older people in Wrexham and Flintshire had to secure funding from Comic Relief. The staff received no Government funded training and all training is self funded.

"Advocacy services in Wales should not have to rely on charitable funding from other organisations in lieu of any Government support. The Government needs to provide better funding and specific training in order to provide older people with a truly independent advocacy service".

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