Written Question · S1W-18461 · Session 1
When it will respond to the Care Development Group's report and recommendations.
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the Care Development Group's report and recommendations.
The answer
I welcome the Care Development Group's report which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. I congratulate the members of the group for the excellent work they have done. They have come forward with a series of sound recommendations for the sustainable implementation of free nursing and personal care for all older people.The investment of £125 million we have already pledged enables us fulfil our commitment to implement free personal care beginning in April 2002. The group supports the principle of free personal care, welcomes the financial provision we have made and makes specific recommendations on the definition of personal care and on how assessing people's need for care must be built into the system for delivering personal and nursing care. They have recommended a definition of personal care which is in line with that taken by the Royal Commission.
In defining personal care, the group has endorsed the need for people to continue to pay their own living and accommodation costs.
They have recommended the removal of all charges for personal care in community
For those in care homes currently meeting their own costs, the group has recommended that they should receive a payment of £90 per week for personal care and a further £65 per week if they need nursing care.
We welcome all of these recommendations and believe they provide a fair and workable approach.The group also recommended further investment in improvements to services in the community to address the gaps and deficiencies that currently exist and to meet future demand for services from an increasingly older population.There is now a great deal of work for local authorities and others to do so that older people can benefit from the unprecedented investment we are making. I therefore intend to establish an Implementation Steering Group to begin work immediately with local authorities, the NHS and the independent sector to develop common arrangements that will enable free personal and nursing care to be delivered as an integral part of the care services older people need.
In defining personal care, the group has endorsed the need for people to continue to pay their own living and accommodation costs.
They have recommended the removal of all charges for personal care in community
For those in care homes currently meeting their own costs, the group has recommended that they should receive a payment of £90 per week for personal care and a further £65 per week if they need nursing care.
We welcome all of these recommendations and believe they provide a fair and workable approach.The group also recommended further investment in improvements to services in the community to address the gaps and deficiencies that currently exist and to meet future demand for services from an increasingly older population.There is now a great deal of work for local authorities and others to do so that older people can benefit from the unprecedented investment we are making. I therefore intend to establish an Implementation Steering Group to begin work immediately with local authorities, the NHS and the independent sector to develop common arrangements that will enable free personal and nursing care to be delivered as an integral part of the care services older people need.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-18461 by reference.