Call for free elderly care

The care of the elderly is becoming a major issue

The government is facing calls to make free personal care for the elderly available across the UK.

It follows a decision by the Scottish Executive that personal and nursing care for people living in residential homes would be made available free of charge.

A bill currently going through parliament would ensure that elderly people in England and Wales receive free nursing care.

But personal care - such as help with bathing and feeding - would be means-tested.

Providing free personal care would not provide a single extra penny to improve or extend services for older people

John Hutton
Health Minister

Health Minister John Hutton insisted there was no question of Westminster following Holyrood's lead.

"Both the government and the Scottish Executive are committed to improving health and social care services for older people, but we are doing it in different ways.

"We do not believe that this would be the best way forward for improving elderly care services in England.

"Providing free personal care would not provide a single extra penny to improve or extend services for older people.

John Hutton: "This is not the best way forward"

"It would not buy a single extra nurse or a single extra bed for a single older person.

"Nor would it have benefited the least well-off, as seven out of 10 people in residential care already get all or some of their personal care costs provided for."

The Director-General of Age Concern, Gordon Lichman, welcomed the Scottish decision, and said the government would have to seriously consider following suit.

"The problem for the government is the fact that they have done so undermines much of their case against personal care provision in England and Wales.

I can see people being bused over to Scotland for free care

David Hinchliffe
Labour MP

Labour MP David Hinchliffe - who chairs the Commons Social Services Committee - fears the creation of a two-tier system.

"I would like to see the government, in view of this decision in Scotland, looking at amending the health and social care bill in committee," he said.

"This would ensure we don't have discrepancies between what would happen in my constituency in the north of England and just over the border in Scotland.

"Otherwise I can see people being bused over to Scotland for free care."

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy backed calls to make personal care free across the UK.

Dr Liam Fox: "Two-tier health service"

"It is indefensible that dementia sufferers are forced to pay for personal care such as help with washing and bathing which cancer patients in hospital get for free.

"Charging for care on the basis of who provides the care and where, rather than on what care is needed, is a recipe for confusion."

Shadow health secretary Dr Liam Fox accused Labour of creating the "ultimate postcode lottery" by pursuing different healthcare policies in England and Scotland.

Speaking on BBC's Newsnight programme, he said: "People in England will ask why is it that elderly patients in Scotland will have Labour MPs who vote for them to get their care free in Scotland, but not in England.

"People will not understand why the government have created a two-tier health service through their devolution proposals when they are committed to not creating it through their health proposals."