Monday 11 February 2013

English NHS Minister Jeremy Hunt Says, "We Can Learn from Scotland"

In today’s debate in Westminster on the funding of social care in England the SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford, MP for Banff and Buchan asked :

“Obviously these proposals won’t apply in Scotland where people already receive personal and nursing care as they need it, when they need it, regardless of their income. But is the Secretary of State aware that this approach has helped substantially reduce the number of people requiring long term hospital beds -- has also helped reduce NHS hospital bed blocking and has enabled thousands of elderly frail people in Scotland to live in their own homes rather than face the crippling costs of moving into residential care?"

Health Secretary for England, Jeremy Hunt answered:

“There are some things that we can learn from Scotland and some things that we can’t learn. But I do think that Scotland has a very good record in identifying people with dementia, and I do think that the point she makes about helping people to live at home for longer is a very good one."