Help the Aged Nominate MP Burstow for Award as Older People's Champion

4.30.22pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 18th Oct 2003

Paul Burstow MP - Older People's Champion

Sutton and Cheam MP, Paul Burstow has been nominated by Help the Aged in the 2003 ePolitix Charity Champion Awards. The awards are voted on by the public via the ePolitix website.

In nominating Mr Burstow Help the Aged made the following statement:

"Paul Burstow has worked tirelessly to champion older people's issues since his election to Parliament in 1997. Not only has he used his office in Parliament to put older people's issues on the agenda in the House of Commons, but has also worked with the media to highlight injustice.

"Paul Burstow has been instrumental in exposing and highlighting the poor standards of care that older people receive. His work to highlight the issue of the potentially inappropriate prescribing of anti-psychotic medication to older people in care homes, for example, has helped to ensure that the issue has received much closer scrutiny. He has a depth of understanding of the issues he raises and their policy context that is all too rare in politics. He is always extremely well informed.

"Paul's record on older people's issues speaks for itself. He has raised questions on everything from care homes to fear of crime, and from health services to older homelessness. He has tabled numerous early day motions and championed several private members bills including, notably, a bill to outlaw age discrimination. In all his dealings with older people and the organisations working with and for them, he has demonstrated his passionate commitment to the fair, decent and equal treatment of older people.

"However, most impressive has been his willingness to tackle the Government on even those issues that gain little attention and attract little popular support - such as dementia and incontinence. In doing this he has helped in the fight for better treatment for some of the UK's most vulnerable older people.

"Paul's work has provided invaluable support to older people's organisations. He has been a regular attendee at conferences, rallies and other charity events demonstrating his support. He has also helped charities as they have struggled to raise the profile of their issues and gain Governmental attention for their needs.

"Paul Burstow's obvious personal commitment to the causes which he champions and his willingness to fight for older people's rights in every area underlie Help the Aged's support for his nomination as ePolitix.com charity champion for older people."

The other nominees for the Older People's Champion category are Baroness Greengross, David Heathcoat-Amory MP and Jacqui Smith MP.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information visit the ePolitix website:

http://www.epolitix.com/sections/cca/mps/paul-burstow.htm

To take part in the vote:

http://www.epolitix.com/sections/cca/vote.htm