A COMMUNITY volunteer is calling on older people to make sure their voices are heard by health bosses.

Retired social services care worker Audrey Westwell, 65, of King Street Terrace, Brierfield, is chairman of Pendle Seniors Group and a seasoned campaigner for elderly people's rights.

Now, along with seniors' representatives from Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley, she is working to build an army of grans and grandads to interview other elderly people and make sure health services take notice of their views.

The new project, called HearSay, hopes to get honest views, complaints and suggestions from elderly people by putting them at their ease, with their peers rather than health professionals leading the interviews.

Led by East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, HearSay follows on from Speakeasy, a scheme set up in 2002 in which a group of 12 older people conducted regular interviews in the area.

Speakeasy was so successful, winning a health and social care award last year, that HearSay will be an extension of it, with an unlimited number of interviewers from the community.

The first scheme brought improvements including a new staff training package on age discrimination and changes to Burnley's sheltered accommodation and Alzheimer's service.

It is hoped HearSay will go much further when it gets fully under way in February.

Mrs Westwell said: "It's all about making sure elderly people have their voices heard and are not looked on as stupid or out of touch just because they are older.

"A lot of older people feel that no-one wants to listen to them, but the fact is that with age comes experience which younger people might not have.

"We are recruiting people to take part now, and the fact that it is elderly people doing the interviews is particularly important.

"People are often scared of saying what they are really thinking about their experiences in hospital, in the GP's surgery or anywhere else if they are talking to someone with a badge from the trust.

"We feel that they will open up a lot more and speak freely, whether good or bad, when it's a volunteer instead.

"We want lots of people to volunteer because anything that is said in these interviews will be passed straight on to the health trusts."

Elaine Nixon, Manager for Older People's Services at East Lancashire PCT, said: "We'll match older people who wish to volunteer their services as interviewers, with older people who have something to say. Hopefully HearSay will do just what it says on the tin - allow the PCT to hear - what older people are saying about health services.

"But first and foremost we need some volunteers. We need a bank of older people who are willing to be trained and supported to interview others and help improve services in the area. It is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference"

Anyone who is over 50 and wishes to participate in HearSay is invited to contact Elaine Nixon, on 01282 610335, to register their interest.

Blackburn with Darwen Priimary Care Trust runs a similar scheme, under the Healthy Communities partnership with the council.

To get involved, contact the Trust on 01254 267000.