External evaluation of the Dumfries and Galloway Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) Vulnerable Older People’s Pathfinder.

In January 2001, the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) was set up by the Scottish Executive to enable local authorities and their community planning partners to improve services in Scotland in accordance with the Social Justice initiative. Twelve local authorities were asked to put forward strategies for the delivery of better services within neighbourhoods in their pathfinder area. Dumfries and Galloway council developed a strategy for older people called the Vulnerable Older People Pathfinder (VOPP), known locally as ‘Guid Services for Older Folk’, which was funded by BNSF for a three year period. The VOPP, together with the Scottish Executive, developed a Local Outcome Agreement (LOA), with a headline aim, or outcome, to: “Enable more vulnerable people to stay living in their own homes for longer, by increasing the range, quality and accessibility of preventative services”. To that end BNSF has funded a number of projects providing preventative services for older people. This approach is underpinned by a wealth of research that highlights the benefits of low-level preventative services to older people’s quality of life (e.g. Clark,et al. 1998).