Families reveal struggle in fight for Frank’s Law

Campaigners battling to get care for loved ones tell their own stories

Emotional pleas to make Frank’s Law a reality have been made by families struggling to get the care their loved ones need.

Dozens of people have already responded to a consultation on the Holyrood bid to abolish care charges for under-65s with debilitating conditions.

The campaign is run by Amanda Kopel in memory of her husband and Dundee United hero Frank, who passed away in 2014 after she toiled to fund the support he needed for his dementia.

The consultation to the Member’s Bill from Miles Briggs MSP was launched last week. Many of the responses speak of the anguish patients and their families have suffered, with the struggle to secure care compounding the distress of conditions like dementia.

Lynne Graham lost her “wonderful father” to dementia in 2014. She said her mum had to pay for everything to fund his care.

“This disease, like so many others, shows no mercy or discrimination,” she told the consultation. “So why should sufferers and their families be discriminated against due to age?”

James Mackenzie said the age of 65 is an “arbitrary limit” to care. He added: “There is no reason younger people should pay when they need personal care. The welfare state exists to share risks and support those in need, and there could hardly be a more obvious example than personal care required by a debilitating condition.”

The Courier, as well as all Holyrood’s opposition parties, have backed the law, which is about giving patients with conditions such as dementia the same rights to free care as older people.

A senior SNP source has vowed it will make it on to the statue books. Former health secretary Alex Neil, an SNP MSP, has also backed it.

Mrs Kopel said the responses make her even more passionate about forcing Frank’s Law on to the statue book.

“I have walked in these people’s shoes, I know the struggle it is and it makes me even more determined,” she said.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said Frank’s Law is needed to end unfair age discrimination.

“I am delighted that I have already received dozens of responses to my Member’s Bill proposal consultation in the first few days of the consultation period, and that the overwhelming majority of responses are fully supportive of the proposal and back implementing Frank’s Law,” he added.

The Scottish Government is running a feasibility study to “consider the costs, benefits, challenges and consequences of extending free personal care”. The consultation runs until October 6. Have your say at parliament. scot/ proposed-under-65s-care-bill

Amanda Kopel with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and Miles Briggs MSP, left; and with husband Frank, whose plight brought the issue of care for under-65s with debilitating conditions into focus.