Tom Kirkwood is Associate Dean for Ageing at the University of Newcastle. Educated in biology and mathematics at Cambridge and Oxford, he worked at the National Institute for Medical Research, where he formed and led a new research division, until in 1993 he became Professor of Biological Gerontology at the University of Manchester. His research is focused on the basic science of ageing and on understanding how genes as well as non-genetic factors, such as nutrition, influence longevity and health in old age.

Tom was European President (Biology) of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, chaired the UK Foresight Task Force on 'Healthcare and Older People' in 1995, led the project on 'Mental Capital Through Life' within the recent Foresight programme on Mental Capital and Well-Being, was Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into 'Ageing: Scientific Aspects' and has served on the Councils of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

He is an Editor of Mechanisms of Ageing and Development and serves on the editorial boards of eight other journals. He has published more than 300 scientific papers and won several international prizes for his research. His books include the award-winning 'Time of Our Lives: The Science of Human Ageing', 'Chance, Development and Ageing' (with Caleb Finch) and 'The End of Age' based on his BBC Reith Lectures in 2001.

Tom was awarded the CBE in 2009.


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David Oliver is the National Clinical Director for Older People, seconded to the Older People and Dementia Branch of the Department of Health.

He is a consultant physician and clinical director at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, visiting professor of medicine for older people at City University, London, and a recent secretary of the British Geriatrics Society.

He has enjoyed a wide variety of leadership and national advisory roles and is an active researcher and teacher.


Presentation: Getting health services right for an ageing population - what else do we need to do?

As the UK's population gets older, health services must evolve if they are to cope with the new and different demands associated with this unprecedented demographic change.

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As Assistant Director for Older People, Andrew McMylor established the Virtual Ward and a series of other admission prevention projects in Wandsworth in response to rising admission rates. The Community Ward subsequently developed to create the ethos of a hospital ward round in the community to manage patients at home through a range of health and social interventions. Through the active engagement of community professionals alongside geriatricians and social workers, the model has expanded to provide crisis response and early supported discharge focus.

Andrew is currently the Head of Clinical Commissioning Development in Wandsworth, responsible for establishing Wandsworth Clinical Commissioning Group whilst still maintaining a profile for older people which includes integrating health and social care commissioning. He has spent his career in the NHS, beginning as a graduate management trainee and is on the NHS Top Leaders programme.

Dr Seth Rankin MRCGP is the managing partner of a 13,000 patient practice in Southwest London and is clinical lead for his local commissioning group. He is also leading on several PCT and local secondary care trust projects – the most expansive of which has been the Wandsworth Community Wards Project – designed to help the community services enhance their capacity to provide home-based healthcare, improve patients' experience and reduce unscheduled admissions. Seth trained in Auckland, NZ, working as a GP there and in Australia before coming to London in 1998. He initially worked in medical assistance before joining the NHS in 2004. He enjoys finding creative and cost-effective ways to improve our patient's experience of healthcare.

Presentation: Wandsworth Community Virtual Ward – an approach to integrated care

Wandsworth has evolved from the original 'Virtual Ward' model first piloted in Croydon in 2006 into an integrated health and social multidisciplinary team run through community services. Its aim is to identify and proactively case manage patients with chronic conditions at risk of a future hospital admission, and manage acute exacerbations in any patient in their own home through swift deployment of the clinical team including a GP, advanced nurse practitioner and community matron.

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Peter Hay's current responsibilities include adult social care, adult learning alongside the strategic leadership for the city in public health and its work on the health and wellbeing partnership.

From joining Birmingham in 2003, Peter has overseen major changes in residential and community provision of care. The council now offers individual budgets for all citizens receiving public funding alongside a growing emphasis on universal information, prevention and enablement.

Implementing real choice and control, alongside budget reductions and new arrangements with the NHS, means that the council continues to reshape relationships with citizens and providers, to alter its own approach (such as the social work practice pilot) and to develop integrated working with NHS partners.

Peter is President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) for 2011/12. He is also Chair of Research in Practice for Adults (RiPfA).

Presentation: Shaping local care services

Ensuring there is a wide range of organisations to provide innovative and responsive care services on a local basis is essential in building a comprehensive and cohesive care system.

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Jo Webber has worked in a number of roles at the NHS Confederation over the past seven years. Prior to this, she has extensive experience in the NHS, primarily in community health services, ending up as a Clinical Services Director in a PCT. Jo is a community nurse by background, but has also worked within the pharmaceutical industry and as a self-employed researcher. Her policy areas at the Confederation, apart from her role as Director of the Ambulance Service Network, include community health services, children's policy, older people and adult social care, public health and integration and partnership working. Jo is also a trustee of the Burdett Trust, which helps to support nursing research and development.


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Ruthe Isden is the Public Services Programme Manager at Age UK, leading the organisation's work across health, social care and equalities and human rights in later life. Ruthe's work includes the Partnership on Dignity in Care, the Richmond Group of Charities' work on long-term conditions and the Care in Crisis campaign. Prior to joining Age UK, Ruthe worked as an advisor on health and care within Parliament and professional health bodies.


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David Rogers has been involved in Sussex local politics for over 30 years, firstly in Brighton, and since 1989 in Newhaven. Over that period he has held a range of significant positions in Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council, and also been involved with regional and sub-regional bodies.

He is currently Vice Chair of East Sussex's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and nationally is Chair of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board.

In recognition for his services to local government in East Sussex, David was awarded an OBE in June 2004.


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Lord Richard Best is currently President of the Local Government Association, Chair of the Hanover Housing Group and chairs the Giving Forum and the Private Rented Sector Policy Forum. He is a Trustee of the RSA, The Tree Council and the Phoenix Fund for Zimbabwe.

Richard is Chair of the Independent Commission on the Future of Housing for Northern Ireland. He is Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Urban Development, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People and Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing Needs and Homelessness. Richard serves on the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.

He is Deputy Chair of Westminster City Council's Standard Committee, a Vice President of the TCPA and Patron of the Housing Associations Charitable Trust. He is also a member of the Audit Commission's Housing and Regeneration Advisory Board.

Richard is Chair of the Council of The Property Ombudsman and chairs the OPM Public Interest General Council. He is an Honorary Fellow RIBA, Honorary Life Member Chartered Institute of Housing and an Honorary Doctor of Letters, Sheffield University.

In the past, Richard has been Director of both the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, and the Chief Executive of the National Federation of Housing Associations (now NHF). He was a member of Ministerial Sounding Boards from 1999 to 2005 and Chairman of the Westminster Commission (2005/6).

Richard was created a Life Peer in 2001.


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Claire Henry is currently Programme Director for the National End of Life Care Programme, which supports the implementation of the National End of Life Care Strategy for England.

Her previous roles have included National Director for the NHS End of Life Care Programme, supporting SHA/PCTs and other organisations to improve the quality of care for all adult patients nearing the end of life. She had a number of roles within the Cancer Services Collaborative 'Improvement Partnership' (CSC 'IP') supporting cancer networks in the implementation of service redesign for cancer services.

Claire's background is in nursing; she trained at South Lincolnshire School of Nursing. After qualifying, Claire worked predominately in cancer and palliative care.


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