Long term care
10 questions to ask your MP
- Did you know that home care (personal care provided at home) hours went up by 76% from 1992-2002, but the number of patients receiving care has been falling year on year (4% a year since 2000). What should we do about this as it implies that many people are going without the support they need?
- Do you think it is fair that someone with cancer can get all their care costs paid for whereas those with Alzheimers often have to pay for personal care?
- Did you know that nurses in Scotland have indicated that free personal care has helped to increase care to those with low and moderate personal care needs. Do you think it is better to detect health needs early as the Scottish system now seems to, rather than waiting till conditions are more expensive and harder to treat as is likely under the English regime of charging?
- Do you agree with the division between nursing and personal care?
- Do you agree that bandaging, fitting catheters and help with going to the toilet are part of nursing and should be provided free at the point of use like all other healthcare?
- Do you think the government should review the impact of its approach to long term care, as it is five years since their own Royal Commission reported?
- How many people are paying for care in your constituency. There are figures available for those who meet all their care costs in care homes, but little information about how many people pay for care in their own homes. Would you be willing to help to compile this?
- Do you think it would be a good idea to unify the funding of health and social care to improve the management and delivery of care?
- Do you think the government should advise people to make insurance provision for the funding of personal care costs?
- Do you think it is fair that people should have to sell their home to pay for care costs? Is it realistic for costs to be borne by the individual with assets of £19,500 or over, which effectively puts all home owners in this category?