Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSBrown pledges free personal care for those most in need
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged universal personal care for those with the ‘highest needs’
Addressing the Labour Party Conference, Mr Brown announced that a ‘national care service’ would provide home care for those with the hightest need, regardless of personal circumstance. Under the current system, state assistance is not provided to anyone with over £23,500 in savings.
The national care service would be provided by the NHS and local authorities, and aims to help the most frail members of society, including the elderly.
Mr Brown told the coference that the aim was “to help the elderly to get the amenities to do what they want most to do: to receive care and to stay in their own homes as long as possible”.
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Readers' comments (3)
James Sen | 29-Sep-2009 11:06 pm
This is an interesting policy and one that offers hope and assistance to the most vulnerable in our society. It come at a time where consideration for our ageing population needs to of prime importance.
James Sen
http://www.residential-home.co.uk
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Julie Messenger | 30-Sep-2009 8:55 am
In principle I see this as a very positive move although I am concerned at the use of the term 'national'. Such resources should be primarily directed towards the most vulnerable in society rather than lead to expectations - like the NHS of free care for all. This is not reasonable or even financially viable as the number of frail elderly in society increase significantly. Those who are in need of care, should be afforded respectful and approapriate care regardless of their ability to pay. If this proposal is progressed, this resource must not be seen as inferior to paid care. The 20th century saw the closure of the workhouses. We must not return to a similar pattern of social care.
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Anonymous | 3-Oct-2009 9:40 am
It all sounds very nice, but at the moment, the NHS isn't even properly resourced to provide short-term care for dying patients who wish to remain at home, so how exactly are they going to resource providing free long term care?
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