22 June 2007
An independent inquiry into the funding of free personal care for elderly people in Scotland has been ordered by the SNP minority government at Holyrood.
Lord Sutherland, who chaired a royal commission that recommended free personal care when it reported in 1999, will head the review of the policy.
The proposal was accepted by the previous Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition administration in the Scottish Parliament but rejected in England.
Since the flagship policy was introduced in Scotland five years ago, it has been dogged by controversy over funding levels and waiting lists. These have resulted in delays over the provision of care for some elderly people.
Announcing the review, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that while more than 50,000 older, vulnerable people benefited from free personal care, action was needed to enhance its delivery and ensure that those entitled to it benefited without undue delay.
She added: 'The Scottish government will not only enhance free personal care provision, but secure its place at the heart of our social care agenda for many years to come. Local authority input to the review will be important.'
Sturgeon also announced that elderly care payments would be linked to inflation from next spring. This could result in an extra bill of £11m on top of more than £200m currently spent.
She said payments for personal and nursing care had remained static since the policy was introduced in 2002. But, since then, the cost of a care home place for a self-funder had increased. This had resulted in an erosion in the value of care payments for those who received them.
Sturgeon said she believed that increasing payments in line with inflation was 'right, fair and affordable'.
As well as the level and distribution of resources, Lord Sutherland's review would also look at the 'imbalance' between Scotland and the UK's finances on personal care, the minister said.
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