Scottish Government has not delayed the implementation of ‘Frank’s Law’
Following your article “Dementia patients ‘dying’ awaiting care” (Scotsman, 27 December), I am writing to correct a number of inaccuracies.
The Scottish Government has not delayed the implementation of the extension of free personal care to those under the age of 65. Free personal care will be available to everyone who requires it by 1 April, 2019, as set out in the legislation.
That legislation to extend free personal care was passed by the scottish parliament in june 2018, not before April 2018 as the article suggested. The legislation also goes further than the original call to extend free personal care only to those with dementia, and will mean that everyone assessed as having a requirement for personal care will receive that care free of charge regardless of their condition, age or assets.
This government has always taken the campaign to extend free personal care seriously, but we have been working to ensure that in doing so, we do not create an inequality by only targeting people with one condition.
Implementation of the extension has been agreed with COSLA and we have been working together to put in place the necessary guidance and to allow local authorities the time to put in place the appropriate arrangements for the extension to under-65s. Far from being a delay, this is the timescale set out in the legislation to allow the proper preparation for the change and for the correct level of funding to be identified to support this new provision.
Funding of £30 million for the extension of free personal care was announced in the draft Budget last month, and it will be a test of other parties’ commitment to the extension of free personal care to those under the age of 65 in whether they support that Budget when it is voted on by Parliament.
Finally, I am very pleased to hear that Amanda Kopel has been appropriately recognised for her campaigning for the introduction of Frank’s Law by being awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours and I congratulate her on that recognition.