§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been introduced since 1997 to help ensure that elderly people not capable of self-care can maintain the highest possible quality of life. [88875]
§ Jacqui SmithOlder people are the major users of health and social care. They have benefited, and will continue to, from the increased levels of funding of the national health service and social care services. Within this overall context and within the framework initially set out in the White Papers, "The New NHS: Modern; Dependable" (December 1997), and "Modernising Social Services" (November 1998), a range of measures have been introduced to ensure that older people's quality of life is maximised. They include
- The NHS Plan;
- Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation;
- NHS Direct;
- establishment of the Royal Commission on long-term care and response to its recommendation, including free nursing care;
- national service framework for older people, including the development of intermediate care facilities;
- availability of direct payments for older people;
673W - increased funding for carers;
- Commission for Health Improvement;
- Essence of Care toolkit, aimed at assisting nurses and others to maintain and improve the quality of care; and
- establishment of the National Care Standards Commission, an independent body to regulate social and health care services, including domiciliary care agencies.