What will the Green Paper mean for those needing continuing health care?

15/07/2009

While the new proposals mapped out in the new Green Paper ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’ are designed to help people pay for the cost of care in older age, one leading expert in the field has advised that they will not impact upon those with major health needs.

Lisa Morgan, Associate Solicitor with the Specialist Nursing Care Team at leading law firm Hugh James says that: "The proposed Green Paper will only affect those people who require social care. This will not affect individuals who are entitled to NHS Continuing Healthcare, where the primary reason they are in a care home is because of their health and all costs will still be met for free by the NHS."

Ms Morgan says that she welcome the proposed reforms. "Thousands of people every year are currently being forced to sell their homes to pay for care. In our experience this causes anxiety and distress to individuals and their families.

"Moreover, the current rules are complex and unfair and so we welcome a reform of the system."

She goes on to say "I am pleased that the Government has made proposals to remove the current postcode lottery that we currently have in England in funding social care. There is currently a wide disparity across the country of the use of the discretionary powers in offering deferred payment schemes. This in unfair and unpredictable.

"Individuals are entitled to a consistent approach across the country."