§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his Department's policy to meet the full costs of nursing care for elderly people in nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [1635]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Health and Social Care Act makes good the pledge set out in "The NHS Plan: The Government's Response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care" to make the NHS responsible for purchasing nursing care in nursing homes, strengthening the incentives for the NHS to ensure effective rehabilitation after acute illness of injury. If they have been assessed as needling the care of a registered nurse, people will not haw to pay for the care and supervision provided by registered nurses in nursing homes, or for specialist equipment.
Detailed draft guidance on how we plan to implement free nursing care will be issued for consultation shortly.
Guidance on NHS and councils' responsibilities for continuing care were published on 28 June.