We've got a continuing problem of older people being shunted from service to service and of things not coming together for them

Tessa Harding, Help the Aged

The government has also reaffirmed its pledge to end the practice of mixed sex wards, universally condemned by campaigners.

Other measures introduced within the framework include:

• "Older Patient Champions" on NHS trust boards to ensure elderly patients are well-treated
• Single assessments for both health and social care
• New advice on healthy living for older people
• More opportunities for receiving care at home rather than having to be readmitted to hospital

Health Secretary Alan Milburn said: "This is the biggest national effort there has ever been to improve healthcare for older people.

"They should be treated according to their clinical needs not their age."

Age Concern director general Gordon Lishman told the BBC: "The NHS national plan was the first time any government seriously accepted there was age discrimination."

He added that the NSF was going to be "very good news indeed".

'Shunting the elderly'

Tessa Harding said services such as health, social services and housing were not co-ordinated for elderly people at the moment.

"We've got a continuing problem of older people being shunted from service to service and of things not coming together for them."

But she added: "I think there are a couple of gaps in the NSF. There are a lot of chronic conditions, such arthritis and Parkinson's, which just don't get the level of attention from the NHS, for research or services.

"They are not acute needs - they are long term chronic conditions."

The government has already published frameworks covering mental health and cardiac care.

Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat shadow minister for older people, said: "Publishing a framework so near to the election is simply window dressing.

"Ministers have had this NSF for six months if not longer and it should have been released and acted upon months ago.

"If this NSF been published when it had first been completed, the NHS and social ervices would have been able to implement its findings and make a real difference to older peoples' lives.

"This belated announcement has all the makings of yet another New Labour soundbite."

Conservative shadow health minister Dr Liam Fox described the publication of the framework as an "election stunt".

He said: "It will also prove completely ineffective, because of the government's complete mishandling of both the NHS and long term care."