Council commitment of free personal and nursing care

Members of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee have confirmed their commitment to the continuing implementation of free personal and nursing care.

The Council will meet recently-issued guidance on the national framework of eligibility criteria and waiting times for free personal and nursing care, which seeks a commitment to deliver personal and nursing care services to older people within a maximum period of six weeks following the identification of need.
 
Free personal and nursing care, as services to people in their own homes area, are delivered free without financial assessment.

 Approximately 80% of all care at home is now free personal care.
 
The Council is also supporting 411 people in care homes with free personal and nursing care allowances at an estimated cost of £3,669,000 per year.
 
Committee members noted that the requirements of the new guidance will place a further burden on the already overstretched budget. 

However, they fully accepted the responsibility to continue funding the care. In the first instance, 18 people on the waiting list will receive their care at an estimated cost of  £150,000 in this financial year, with a full year effect of £300,000. 

Other continuing assessments to determine eligibility for free personal and nursing care will be reported to the Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive and Director of Social Work for determination to ensure the  implications on the budget are understood.

Earlier, committee members noted the recovery action being taken by Social Work management to reduce the budget overspend, which is estimated to rise to £3.913 million by the end of the financial year on 31 March, next year.