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Wednesday 18 November 2009

Queen’s Speech - Personal Care At Home Bill

“My Government will introduce a Bill to enable the wider provision of free personal care to those in highest care need.”

The purpose of the Bill is to:

• Help around 400,000 people with care needs.

• Offer for the first time free personal care at home for those with the highest needs, regardless of means.

• Be the first step towards setting up a new National Care Service - a simple, fair and affordable care system for everyone.

The main benefits of the Bill would be:

• Guarantee free personal care for the 280,000 people - including those with serious dementia or Parkinson’s disease - with the highest needs.

• Protect the savings of the 166,000 people who currently get free care from future charges.

• Help around 130,000 people who need home care for the first time to regain their independence.

• Where home adaptations or technology can increase a person’s independence and reduce care needs, these would be offered.

• It would allow £130 million to be invested in re-ablement and prevention to help people to maintain their dignity and rebuild their confidence so that they can live at home for longer.

• This would put prevention at the heart of the system, improving quality, empowering people, and saving the NHS and social care money.

Existing legislation in this area:

Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Act 2003

Devolution:

Health and social care is a devolved matter In Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland. This Bill applies to England and Wales though the intention is the policy of free personal care will apply in England only.

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