Remit
The Scottish Government has looked to the Independent Review to investigate the level and distribution of resources for the policy and to make recommendations on its long-term sustainability. Specifically, the remit set by Scottish Ministers asked us to examine 4 key areas:
- The total level of resources available to Scottish local authorities for the implementation of Free Personal and Nursing Care (FPNC) since the policy was introduced, including:-
- The resources available for the provision of personal care at home without charge to certain people prior to the introduction of the policy, and
- The extra resources provided when the policy was implemented. - The distribution of the total FPNC resources amongst local authorities through the GAE mechanism.
- The impact of the withdrawal of attendance allowance to pensioners in receipt of FPNC on the financial balance between the Scottish Government and the UK Government.
- The long term sustainability of the FPNC policy.
Timeframe
The review will give the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing a note on its initial discussions by end-September and will submit a full report by March 2008.
Evidence Gathering
In its work, the review made the maximum use of information already available, in particular, and insofar as they may be relevant:-
- The report of the Session 2 Audit & Health Committees' Inquiries, published in 2005 & 2006, and the Scottish Executive's response.
- The Hexagon Evaluation of the Operation and Impact of Free Personal Care, published in February 2007, and the Scottish Executive's response.
- The work of the Scottish Executive/COSLA Care Costs Sub-group.
- Other recent research findings, including work by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
The review also maintained links with the study which Audit Scotland conducted into FPNC at the same time.