A review into whether disabled people are being denied funding for nursing care has been announced today by Scottish Health Secretary Alex Neil
Newly-released statistics show that the number of people in Scotland being given state funding for all their care has fallen by 37% in four years. The review will:
- assess whether the guidance is being followed, and that a consistent approach is being taken across Scotland;
- assess whether improvements are needed to raise awareness of NHS Continuing Health Care amongst professionals and general public; and
- consider whether an independent appeals process is required.
If a disabled person has severe health problems which require intense or complex nursing care then the NHS is obliged to pay for that care - called ‘continuing health care’ - even if it is delivered in a nursing home or in their own home.
While Scotland does provide personal care for free people in care homes and nursing homes are still charged accommodation costs.
The latest figures show a reduction in the number of people receiving continuing care, from 2,006 people in March 2012 to 1,711 in March 2013.
For further information see: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2013/06/continuingcare and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23048000