Older People's Strategic Action Forum minutes: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Minister for Equalities, Directorate General Communities 
• Scottish Government Official, Directorate General Communities 
• Scottish Government Official, Directorate General Communities
• Scottish Government Official, Directorate General Communities 
• Chief Executive, Generations Working Together 
• Wellbeing Manager, Glasgow Disability Alliance 
• Community Response Officer, We Are Hourglass 
• Development Officer, Scottish Pensioner’s Forum 
• Community Development Advisor, Outside the Box 
• Secretary, Soroptimist 
• Policy Officer, Age Scotland 
• Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Independent Age 
• Director, Faith in Older People 
• Policy and Research Officer, LGBT+ Health 
• Chair, Unison

Items and actions

Introduction 

The chair welcomed everyone to the group. 

Minutes

Members approved the minutes from the last meeting. 

Older People Strategic Action Forum (OPSAF) working and priorities 

Members expressed a willingness to use the group to form better partnerships with each other and work better together. 

The group agreed that at least one face-to-face meeting per year would be beneficial.

Members supported the suggestion to meet outside of the OPSAF meetings to have a deep dive on three or four specific topics. 

The group suggested that officials from other policy areas join future, relevant discussions and OPSAF be invited to workshops in other policy areas. 

Reports from Roundtable Discussions 

The group considered the GenAnalytics Summary Reports shared in advance of the meeting. 

It was suggested that the reports could inform the workplan and themes for future deep dive discussions, with emphasis placed on the role of grassroots and local organisations in supporting strategic interventions.

Pensioner Poverty

It was noted that the Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee held a roundtable on pensioner poverty on 6 February 2025, involving members of the group. 

It was noted that, while no standalone pensioner poverty strategy is planned, officials have been asked to monitor discussions and identify key themes.

Any other business and closing

Following the announcement of the death of Christina McKelvie MSP, the meeting was subsequently brought to an early close. 

Action points 

• Scottish Government to review and circulate the Terms of Reference
• Scottish Government to schedule a face to face meeting this year
• Members to hold focused discussions on priority topics