Review of free personal care announced
15 Jun 07
Lord Sutherland to review working of system he recommended
The Scottish Executive is setting up an independent review under Lord Sutherland to investigate the level and distribution of resources to councils under the "free personal care for the elderly" scheme.
At the same time as announcing the review, Cabinet Health and Wellbeing Secretary Nicola Sturgeon promised that payments for free personal and nursing care in care homes would be uprated in line with inflation.
Under the policy personal care services, such as help with washing, dressing and getting in and out of bed are provided free of charge to those at home, whilst self funding clients in care homes have payments made to the care home provider by their local authority on their behalf for personal and nursing care.
Local authorities have been in dispute with the Executive over whether they have been given sufficient funding to support the scheme. Attempts by some authorities to set up waiting lists on the basis that their funding hand been spent, have been successfully challenged in court by claimants arguing they have an immediate right to help.
Implementation to be clarified
Lord Sutherland, a former Principal of Edinburgh University, chaired the Royal Commission that paved the way for the introduction of free personal care. The other members of the review team will be announced shortly, along with the review's specific terms of reference. Stressing that local authority input would be important, Ms Sturgeon said she was determined to ensure that free personal care was implemented properly and fairly in all parts of the country.
She said: "More than 50,000 older, vulnerable people benefit from the free personal care policy. I was a leading advocate of its introduction, and I am determined that it will continue on a strong and sustainable footing."
"There are a number of strands of the policy that need to be clarified", she added. "These include food preparation, assistance with medication, waiting lists and a more balanced approach to eligibility criteria." She said that legislation would be introduced if necessary to improve the working of the original Act.
From April next year, the payment for personal and nursing care in homes will be increased in line with inflation. Payments have been unchanged since the policy was introduced under the Communinty Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.
Ms Sturgeon said that as well as the level and distribution of resources, the review would look at "the longstanding imbalance between Scotland and the UK's finances, going back to when the policy was introduced, namely the issue of attendance allowance. In parallel, my officials will open discussions with officials in the Department of Work and Pensions to explore the possibility of an agreed settlement to this issue".
The review will begin shortly. Ms Sturgeon has asked for an interim report by September and the conclusion of the review by next March.