It is now five months since health secretary Shona Robinson committed to ‘Frank’s Law’, for free personal care to people under 65 with terminal conditions, but nothing appears to have been done.
Under SNP proposals people under 65 with terminal conditions who require personal care will have to wait until April 2019 before they have access to free personal care. The Scottish Conservatives think that this is too long and have called on the SNP Scottish Government to implement Frank’s Law in 2018.
Currently people under 65 who have conditions such as dementia, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and cancer have to pay for their own personal care. The Scottish Government, which initially opposed the access of under 65’s to free personal care, agreed in September to implement the Frank’s Law in 2019. This decision came after years of campaigning by Amanda Kopel and the Frank’s Law Campaign. Amanda’s husband Frank, who gave his name to the campaign, passed away three years ago having been diagnosed with dementia at the age of 59.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs MSP said: “It was only due to Scottish Conservative pressure and the cross-party support for my Members Bill that the First Minister and the SNP were forced to commit to take forward Frank’s Law.
“Five months have passed since the First Minister made the announcement and yet the Frank’s Law implementation group has not met once. I’m sorry to say that progress to deliver Frank’s Law is progressing at a snail’s pace – that is not acceptable and SNP Ministers need to start focussing on what they were elected to do.
“From the outset Ruth Davidson and the Scottish Conservatives have been committed to working with the SNP to ensure that this vital legislation for people under 65 is implemented.”
Amanda Kopel said: “On the 7th September 2017, Shona visited me in Kirriemuir, at that visit she personally invited me to take part in the implementation talks for FRANK’S LAW.
“As of today’s date (1st February 2018), I have had no communication whatsoever from either Shona or any of her advisers about any meetings.
“I don’t even know if any such talks have even taken place, what I do know is that I haven’t been invited yet to any of them.
“People, who are still having to pay for their ongoing personal care, and being told to hang on until 2019, who are living in hope, are asking me every other day, when is FRANK’S LAW going to be delivered?
“Sadly I cannot answer them, not because I don’t want to, but it’s because the silence is deafening from the SNP regarding the implementation of FRANK’S LAW.
“However, the longer that we do not hear of any progress whatsoever coming from the powers that be, more and more u65s have gone to their graves paying for that personal care, and sadly are now just statistics like Frankie and others.”
At least 9000 families in Scotland will benefit from the introduction of free personal care for everyone who requires it, regardless of age.
The government maintains that the policy will take effect by April 2019, when it’s estimated that more than 9000 families in Scotland will benefit from the introduction of free personal care for everyone who requires it, regardless of age.
On meeting Mrs Kopel last September, Ms Robison said: “I am glad to have met with Mrs Kopel to congratulate her and to discuss the government’s plans. This change will help thousands of families across Scotland and Mrs Kopel has played a crucial role in bringing issues around personal care for under 65s to light and in ensuring they have remained prominent in the public’s mind.
“We will now take forward the work of extending free personal care to everyone who requires it, regardless of age. At least 9000 people will benefit from this change and we will work closely with local government and others to implement these changes so that all those who require personal care are able to access it.”
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