Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Monday, 20 July 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 October 2009. It was answered by Phil Hope (Labour) on Monday, 12 October 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.
Social Services
- Question
- To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on application of criteria of (a) substantial and (b) critical needs in decisions on eligibility for adult social care services; what powers local authorities have to limit provision of such services to people with those categories of need; and if he will make a statement.
- Answer
-
The Fairer Access to Care Services (FACS) guidance (June 2003), a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, sets a framework to help local authorities identify those people who are eligible for social care services. The FACS guidance sets out four eligibility bands of criteria (Critical, Substantial, Moderate and Low).The Commission for Social Care Inspectorate's (CSCI) State of Social Care report 2006-07 identified a trend for councils to raise their eligibility thresholds and the potential implications for people seeking support. In the light of recommendations made by CSCI in their report "Cutting the Cake Fairly: CSCI review of eligibility criteria for social care" (October 2008), the Government have been working with stakeholders to revise the FACS guidance and this is out for consultation until 6 October 2009.The revision of the FACS guidance is aimed at bringing about improvements to the system as it currently stands, making implementation fairer and more consistent for people seeking support and reinforcing the current direction of policy established by "Putting People First", a copy of which has already been placed in the Library.The Fairer Contribution Guidance was published on 14 July 2009 to accompany the existing Fairer Charging guidance. Copies have been placed in the Library. This provides councils with a model to help them decide how much (if anything) a person should contribute to their personal budget. Councils will be expected to implement the Fairer Contributions Guidance by March 2010.Local authorities must ensure that everyone who is eligible for social care has their needs met.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 497 c754-5W; 289304
- Session
- 2008-09
- Related items
- Subjects
- Social services
- Link
- View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk
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- 2013-11-26 00:52:38 +0000
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