MSPs Want Care Budget Overhauled

A call for a thorough remodelling of the Scottish Executive’s flagship free personal care for the elderly budget has been made by MSPs. The Scottish Parliament’s health committee also said it wanted the law changed to stop councils setting up waiting lists for care.

The committee has undertaken the first major review of the policy, which was introduced four years ago. It also wants a minimum period for assessments to be introduced. In their 140-page report, MSPs said the policy had been a success and had brought greater security and dignity to many elderly people. However, they said that the funding allocated for free care should be examined.

Scotland’s 32 local councils have told the executive that they are £70m short of what is required to meet the full cost of free personal care.

First Minister Jack McConnell has previously refused to give councils any more than the £162m they already received each year to fund the policy. The MSPs also said waiting lists, introduced by 15 councils, were unacceptable and the loophole in the law which allowed waiting lists should be closed.

The SNP has obtained figures which show that the total number of elderly Scots waiting for assessment for free personal care as of February, was 4,005 and those waiting for services or payment for free personal care was 709.

The health committee report calls for assessments for care to be made without delay. Weekly payments of £145, which are given for elderly people who need help with washing, dressing and eating, should be backdated.

The report also recommends that the Care Commission be funded centrally rather than from fees from local authorities and it said more use should be made of direct payments to people who organised their own care.

The Care Commission welcomed the report. Chief Executive Jacquie Roberts said: “The Care Commission’s remit is to regulate and inspect more than 15,000 services in Scotland against the Scottish ministers’ National Care Standards and it is extremely heartening that the committee has recognised the great strides we have taken since 2002.

“However, the committee has also raised some valid points – many of which the Care Commission specifically highlighted in written submissions to the committee.” She said the commission also agreed with the health committee’s recommendation that the outcome of complaint investigations should be publicised more widely.

The Scottish National Party’s health spokeswoman Shona Robison welcomed the recommendations.

She called on the Labour and Lib Dem executive to “stop blaming others for the failings in the implementation of the policy and ensure that the postcode lottery of care is eradicated”.

The Conservatives’ health spokeswoman Dr Nanette Milne said: “Elderly people are not interested in squabbles between councillors and the executive – the problem will not be resolved by playing an endless blame game.

“There is a right to free personal care and the Labour/Lib Dem executive has a legal responsibility to ensure provision when and where it is needed, not after people have languished on a waiting list.”