§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further steps he is taking to encourage the development of more appropriate forms of long-term care.
§ Mr. YoungerA draft circular issued for consultation last July set out proposed new arrangements for the joint planning and support finance scheme. The main objective of those proposals was to encourage more effective coordination of efforts to achieve a better balance between hospital and community care, and the development of more appropriate forms of long-term care.
I am grateful to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, health boards and other interested organisations for their general support for that objective, and their helpful comments on those proposals. The circular, with consequential revisions, was issued today; I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.