§ 25. Mr Terry Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to arrange the assessment of need for residential care of those entering private homes for the elderly.
§ Mr. NewtonA joint central and local government working party has examined the scope for improving collaboration between the Department and local authorities over support for residents in private and voluntary residential care homes. They gave particular attention to the assessment of supplementary benefit claimants' need for residential care, and to ensuring that charges met from public funds are reasonable. We have discussed the report with the local authority associations, and I hope to make an announcement shortly about arrangements to examine the possibilities in more detail.