CTSI HAS ITS SAY Some of the institutes contributions to government policy debate Health, social care and sports committee forward work programme priorities Health, social care and sports committee forward work programme priorities Welsh Assembly for Wales, September 2016 CTSI and Wales Heads of Trading Standards (WHoTS) are jointly calling for increased partnership working between local authority trading standards and adult social care teams, and looking to the committee to investigate best practice. Both organisations are particularly pleased to see the committee considering loneliness and isolation among older people a potential long-term priority, seeing this as an incredibly important issue needing rigorous investigation. There is also scope to expand this priority beyond simply understanding and raising awareness of the health and wellbeing implications of loneliness and isolation for older people. Loneliness and isolation directly contribute to the issue of scamming, with devastating effects both psychologically and financially for victims. There is clear evidence that loneliness is linked with deterioration in health. Around a million older people in the UK (10 per cent) are termed chronically lonely, seriously increasing their risk of suffering mental and physical illness. Loneliness also puts individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline a key factor contributing to an individual becoming a scam victim. Such individuals often engage with a scammer more readily than other people, because of their natural need for human interaction. As well as personal suffering caused, loneliness heaps pressure on various local authority and health services, as it is often the tipping point for referrals to adult social care and cause for a significant number of GP visits. Feeling lonely rather than being alone is associated with an increased risk of clinical dementia in later life, and dementia is anotherscam vulnerability factor. The impact of scamming on an individual can often extend far beyond financial loss to include physical risks, loss of their homes, depression, and even contemplated, attempted, or actual suicide. A National Trading Standards Doorstep Crime Project was completed in 2014/15; its report included a victim impact survey highlighting significant health harms. CTSI policy officer: Robyn Ellison For more details, and to contribute to consultations such as these, visit www.tradingstandards.uk Credits Images: Ivonne Wierink / Shutterstock To share this page, in the toolbar click on You might also like CTSI has its say September 2016