New figures collected by Jackie Baillie show that there is no rhyme or reason in how local authorities charge for home care services across Scotland. Complicated formulas mean no one can be sure what they should pay.
The social care green paper that is now part of the legislative programme contained in this week’s Queens Speech shows that there are significant problems across England with complicated and differential charging rates. The government’s proposal is that there should be a standard charge for services so that the proportion of your income that is paid for your care is consistent across England. This is what we need in Scotland.
This is what was trying to be achieved by the COSLA guidance of earlier this year but the information collected demonstrates that this is not working. The current situation remains complex, social workers do not understand and no one who is thinking about moving from one part of Scotland to another can know about what they will have to pay from area to area. This is recognised nationally as a problem and while “local government experts” might argue that there should be discretion, local variation and so, that is not the policy of the Scottish Government.
Shona Robison, minister for public health confirmed this week that “The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 gave ministers powers to regulate charges for social care. However, the Scottish Government made clear at the time that it would support self-regulation by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) if that achieved consistency. [my emphasis] It also made a commitment to hold these powers in reserve until implementation of COSLA''s guidance on charging was evaluated. In its Stage 1 Report on the Bill, the Health and Community Care Committee of the Scottish Parliament endorsed the approach of COSLA in preparing the guidance, and the reserve powers being taken by ministers.” { PQ answered November 19th.}
Seven years on that consistency has not been achieved and this remains demonstrated by the exercise carried out by Jackie Baillie. The Scottish Government is wrong in not using the power is has to enforce greater consistency.
Full details of Jackie Baillie's reseach will be published here on Sunday 22nd November.
