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Ministers to outline care policy Review outlined for care policy
(1 day later)
The SNP government is to set out its plans for taking forward Scotland's landmark free personal care for the elderly policy. A review will be held into Scotland's free personal care for the elderly policy, the government has announced.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon is expected to order a review of the way the policy is being implemented by Scotland's local authorities. Payments for personal and nursing care in care homes will also rise with inflation from April next year.
She is also expected to announce that payments will increase in line with inflation. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon pledged to raise the bar to deliver the policy across Scotland.
The payments have not risen since the policy was introduced five years ago. Labour and the Lib Dems questioned the need for an inquiry. The Tories raised concerns about on-going problems, five years after the legislation was passed.
The SNP manifesto committed the party to increasing the personal care allowance from the £145 a week maximum which was set in 2002.
About 50,000 elderly people benefit from the allowance, most of them receiving help with washing, dressing and eating in their own homes.About 50,000 elderly people benefit from the allowance, most of them receiving help with washing, dressing and eating in their own homes.
Ms Sturgeon is thought likely to announce that an independent review, advised by Lord Sutherland, will investigate the level and distribution of resources given to local authorities to implement the policy. The government could also be heading for a clash with Westminster after it was also announced discussions would take place to agree a settlement over the issue of millions of pounds in attendance allowances, lost when free care was agreed.
Lost battle I hope that we will not get into a long and protracted inquiry Ross Finnie MSPScottish Lib Dem Health spokesman
Despite several issues with the free care policy, Scotland's local authority group Cosla has maintained that it has been a success and said it stood ready to back the new government in making it work. The previous Scottish Executive lost its battle on that front with the Department of Work and Pensions after it refused to transfer £22m in attendance allowances north of the border.
In the last parliament, the Nationalists condemned councils operating waiting lists for a service to which people were legally entitled. Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament: "As long-term advocates of the policy of free personal care, we are absolutely committed to its success now and in the future.
A number of local authorities have paid back costs after claiming they were misinformed by ministers over charging for meal preparation. "It is a policy that gives help and peace of mind to thousands of people and at a time of their lives when they need it most."
The Scottish government could also be heading for a clash with Westminster if it decided to take forward another SNP manifesto pledge to claw back millions of pounds in attendance allowances, lost when free care was agreed. The review, which will investigate the level and distribution of resources given to local authorities to implement the policy, will be overseen by Lord Sutherland, who chaired the Royal Commission which paved the way for free personal care.
However, the previous Scottish Executive lost its battle on that front with the Department of Work and Pensions after it refused to transfer £22m in attendance allowance north of the border. Despite several issues with free care, Scotland's local authority group Cosla maintained that it had been a success and said it stood ready to back the new government in making it work.
'Hidden waiting list'
Concerns have been raised over councils operating waiting lists for a service to which people were legally entitled.
And a number of local authorities have paid back costs after claiming they were misinformed by ministers over charging for meal preparation.
Scottish Labour public health spokesman Lewis Macdonald pointed out that both the Rowntree Foundation and Holyrood's health committee had carried out inquiries into free care.
"Clearly we would look to ministers to do more than simply set up another inquiry but also to act to resolve some of those difficult issues," he said.
Mr Macdonald, deputy health minister in the last Scottish government, told MSPs that local authorities had spent £197m on free personal care and nursing care in 2003-04 but had been allocated upwards of £219m.
Scots Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon added: "Over half of all local authorities operate a waiting list for free personal care.
"But the other issue is the hidden waiting list, the long wait for assessment."
Today's statement is a clear vindication of Cosla's position over the last two years Pat WattersCosla
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie said he had not heard a "compelling reason" for a further inquiry.
"I hope that we will not get into a long and protracted inquiry and I hope that the practical steps of making this more workable will emerge sooner rather than later."
Local authority body Cosla said the executive had recognised that outstanding legislative issues needed to be dealt with before local councils could implement the policy.
Cosla president Pat Watters said: "Councils and the public needed clarity on how the policy should be implemented, particularly in terms of whether or not councils should charge for food preparation and whether or not it is within the terms of the policy to have a waiting list for free personal care.
"Today's statement is a clear vindication of Cosla's position over the last two years."