This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Minister applauds Scotland's carers
13/06/2002
Carers make a vital contribution to the life of many of
Scotland's most vulnerable people, Deputy Health Minister
Frank McAveety said today.
The Minister was speaking as he hosted a reception at
Bute House, to mark Carers Week 2002, recognising the
contribution carers make to communities and the lives of
vulnerable people throughout Scotland, and welcoming the
new rights for carers being introduced under the Health and
Community Care (Scotland) Act 2002.
Mr McAveety said:
"Carers have a valuable role to play within Scotland's
society, helping our most vulnerable children and adults to
lead as independent a life as possible.
"The Scottish Executive is strongly committed to
supporting Scotland's carers and the Carer's Strategy for
Scotland, launched at the end of 1999, sets out a framework
for achieving this. Already much has been achieved in
putting this Strategy into action.
"The Scottish Executive has significantly increased the
funding available to local authorities to support carers.
From April 2000 allocations to local authorities for
services to support carers were doubled to £10 million a
year. This is being built on by the provision of an
additional £22 million of investment over three years from
April 2001, to provide the equivalent of an extra 22,000
weeks of short break services across Scotland.
"The new Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act means
that carers can now hope to receive wider support from
local authorities and the NHS. Local authorities will be
required to take into account the views and contribution of
carers and before deciding on services for the individual
in care. The NHS will also play a role in identifying
carers and making them aware of any rights that they are
entitled to under this new legislation.
"I am pleased to be hosting this reception recognising
the contribution carers make to society. We cannot put a
price tag on caring and the way in which it creates a
stronger and more cohesive Scotland, a Scotland of which we
can be proud."
Carers Week is a UK-wide event running from June 10th to
June 16th. In Scotland it is organised by a wide range of
care organisations including Carers Scotland, Capability
Scotland, Contact A Family, Crossroads and the Princess
Royal Trust for Carers. The aim of the week is to raise
awareness of carers and the contribution that they make to
life in Scotland.
The Community Care and Health Act was passed by the
Scottish Parliament in February and received Royal Assent
in March of this year. It extends the rights of carers in
several ways:
* giving carers, including young carers under 16, the
right to an independent assessment of their ability to care
at any time;
* ensures carers are made aware of this right by health
and social services;
* requires local authorities to take account of the
contribution of carers and their views before deciding on
the services to be provided to the cared for person;
and
* gives Scottish Ministers powers to require NHS Boards
in Scotland to draw up strategies for ensuring they inform
carers of their right to an assessment.