Continuing her work; One of Liverpool's great success stories is its host of long-standing charitable welfare societies. Peter Elson reports on one thriving organization.

Byline: Peter Elson

WERE she to return, Liverpool's dedicated pre-war social campaigner and national politician Eleanor Rathbone would find much had changed in the 21st century.

However, she would be immensely proud that some of her pioneering campaigns have prospered, not least the Personal Service Society, or PSS.

Rathbone, a member of the Liverpool-banking dynasty, devoted her adult life, as a councillor and MP, to improving the lot of ordinary people and particularly women.

Much has changed since her day, with the post-war welfare state incorporating many of the rights she fought for, such as Family Allowance.

PSS spawned organisations which are now part of our national social fabric: the fore-runner of the Marriage Guidance Council (now Relate), Age Concern and the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Far from accepting the status quo, this charitable trust is well attuned to the rapidly changing needs of society.

PSS is now one of Britain's major charities with 1,600 staff comprising paid employees and volunteers. It provides innovative residential, day and home services for adults and children with mental health problems, learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

It has the flexibility to find health care solutions that mainstream medical and social workers can follow. With the Government and local authorities changing their health care responsibilities, they are very supportive of PSS's role as a care provider. These are mainly in North

West England and North Wales, but it was invited to set up and run services in Scotland. PSS also undertakes training in the EU, Russia and Bulgaria.

The recent history of the PSS, based in Seel Street, has not always been so steadfast. When its current chief executive, Robin Currie, joined in 1981, the organisation was facing crises in both its direction and, more pressingly, in its finances.

With experience across the government, private and voluntary sectors, Currie, well-known as an innovator, was specifically appointed to provide clear leadership, strategic planning and commercial stability. From a deficit in 1981, he has seen PSS's turnover rise to pounds 1m in 1990 to a projected pounds 13m in 2006.

Currie, 57, who lives in Maghull, is married with two grown-up children. He is also a member of the Department of Health's Third Sector (ie, voluntary) national committee.

One of his major tasks at PSS is addressing the problems of a society with a rapidly ageing population, whose mental health does match its physical well-being.

Already, some 750,000 of Britain's population suffer from dementia and this figure is projected to double to around 1.5m in the next 30-40 years. There are 18m sufferers across the world.

"PSS is involved in various care schemes supporting people suffering dementia and living in the community. Given the rising number of sufferers, there is a special incentive to tackle this," says Robin.

"It's great that we all are more likely to live longer. What is not so great is that one in five over 80 have some form of dementia.

"We are committed to finding ways of keeping people in their own homes wherever possible. One answer to these dementia problems is residential care, but the majority of people don't want that.

"Naturally, people prefer being in familiar surroundings as they cope better. So what we concentrate on are redesigning homes and new technology that make it easier for householders to remain there."

This might include lights at night-time coming on in sequence to lead a householder to the toilet - in case they forget that is where they are going. Warning sensors can be activated if someone is at risk or danger from flooding baths or liquids boiling over on a cooker.

"There is US research that shows how the colour of crockery can affect eating patterns, which is an issue as some dementia sufferers are undernourished because they stop eating," says Currie.

Electronic pill dispensers can release medication at an appropriate time so that patients do not overdose or underdose themselves. Even simply replacing a list of phone numbers with appropriate photos of people can make life much easier, as can purses that bleep if mislaid. PSS has also set up the non-ironically named "Alzheimer's Cafe", in St Helens, based on a Dutch model, where sufferers, carers and medical staff can get together to discuss matters informally.

The society has also piloting adult placements, a scheme for families to adopt the elderly souls as an alternative to going into residential care. Again, this is a more stimulating environment that helps slow down mental demise and provides more personal care.

"The people who get involved in this scheme are wonderful. They see it as something they can get satisfaction from. We need choices, offering differing things for different people, but a general attitude change is needed," says Currie.

PSS also liaises with hospital trusts to provide intermediate care for those coming out of hospital to offer them more quality of life.

Other projects include helping children whose parents are drug or alcohol abusers. There is also support for children whose siblings are handicapped and often feel they second-rate family members.

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Eleanor's legacy

ELEANOR RATHBONE, left, (1872-1946) was one of Britain's earliest and most influential sociologists, whose privileged upbringing did not blinker her to the plight of the poor she saw around her in Liverpool.

Among her achievements was providing the foundations for the University of Liverpool's Sociology Department. This evolved from a campaign by civic and academic figures led by Rathbone and Elizabeth Macadam. Its establishment helped change the perception of social work.

With other reformers, Rathbone created the Personal Services Society in 1919, to put their theories into practice.

Robin Currie says: "The old Victorian definitions of deserving and undeserving poor were disappearing. There was a post-First World War euphoria that incredible change could happen."

Rathbone sat as an Independent MP and Liverpool city councillor. Social commentators claim she worked against sexual inequality more intelligently than any other inter-war female politician.

No other female politician can rival her achievements. She helped negotiate the 1918 suffrage victory, saw through equal franchise in 1928, organised campaigns to extend women's civil rights in the 1920s and persuaded the government to launch Family Allowances (now Child Benefit).

Less well-known were her campaigns to rescue WWII refugees and those threatened with incarceration in Nazi extermination camps.

There is a Chair of Sociology endowed in Eleanor Rathbone's memory at Liverpool University, and the Sociology Department has named its main building after her.

CAPTION(S):

Robin Currie, current chief executive of PSS' Eleanor Rathbone used her position to help those less fortunate than herself