Dear All,
Have just received the following, which I thought would be of interest.
'Thank you for your recent email regarding EDM 1621. As a former Secretary of State for Health, I have considerable sympathy for the views you express.
I have always argued that the current system of long-term care is unfair. It cannot be right, that those who save to provide for themselves in old age are forced to sell their homes to pay for their care, whilst those that have not bothered to do so are in no worse a position. My colleague, Michael Howard MP, the Leader of the Opposition, announced our plans to provide personal care for the elderly free of charge. We are keen to listen to reactions to our idea of a three year partnership scheme between Government, the insurance industry and families in the coming weeks. Under our scheme, individuals providing for the first three years of their residential care would be provided with free long term care by the Government thereafter, regardless of their assets. Those on lower incomes would of course, still receive means-testing for free long term care. We believe that such a system could mean that no-one will have to sell their home to meet the costs of long term care.
I also recognise the very real concerns that people have regarding the price people must pay to provide for care of Altzheimer's Disease and other severely debilitating forms of dementia. Although, clearly, nursing care should be and is provided free of charge, I am concerned that the Government has drawn the definition of nursing care particularly tightly, thereby excluding many aspects of care which pople should be provided with free of charge. I know that my colleages in the Conservative Party health team are currently examining ways of redrawing the definition of nursing care, so that those with severe dementia are not unfairly discriminated against. We hope to finalise our proposals by launching a consultation document in the coming months. In the meantime, I have added my name EDMN No 10, which places my views on record.
If you feel I can be of any further assistance, plese do not hesitate to contact me again.'
The RT Hon Virginia Bottomley
MP for Surrey South West
All very well and good. What about AD suffers at home?
Any other comments before I reply?
Jude
Have just received the following, which I thought would be of interest.
'Thank you for your recent email regarding EDM 1621. As a former Secretary of State for Health, I have considerable sympathy for the views you express.
I have always argued that the current system of long-term care is unfair. It cannot be right, that those who save to provide for themselves in old age are forced to sell their homes to pay for their care, whilst those that have not bothered to do so are in no worse a position. My colleague, Michael Howard MP, the Leader of the Opposition, announced our plans to provide personal care for the elderly free of charge. We are keen to listen to reactions to our idea of a three year partnership scheme between Government, the insurance industry and families in the coming weeks. Under our scheme, individuals providing for the first three years of their residential care would be provided with free long term care by the Government thereafter, regardless of their assets. Those on lower incomes would of course, still receive means-testing for free long term care. We believe that such a system could mean that no-one will have to sell their home to meet the costs of long term care.
I also recognise the very real concerns that people have regarding the price people must pay to provide for care of Altzheimer's Disease and other severely debilitating forms of dementia. Although, clearly, nursing care should be and is provided free of charge, I am concerned that the Government has drawn the definition of nursing care particularly tightly, thereby excluding many aspects of care which pople should be provided with free of charge. I know that my colleages in the Conservative Party health team are currently examining ways of redrawing the definition of nursing care, so that those with severe dementia are not unfairly discriminated against. We hope to finalise our proposals by launching a consultation document in the coming months. In the meantime, I have added my name EDMN No 10, which places my views on record.
If you feel I can be of any further assistance, plese do not hesitate to contact me again.'
The RT Hon Virginia Bottomley
MP for Surrey South West
All very well and good. What about AD suffers at home?
Any other comments before I reply?
Jude