Inquiry is ordered into care of elderly people
AN urgent inquiry was launched yesterday into councils across the region who deny help to elderly people unable to wash, cook or shop for themselves.
Social Care Minister Ivan Lewis accused councils that ration care of a "no help here" attitude, leaving frail and infirm people to fend for themselves.
They include seven across the North-East and North Yorkshire, who will only help elderly people whose needs are judged to be substantial.
It excludes people with "moderate" needs, who cannot carry out everyday tasks such as getting up in the morning, bathing, making meals, housework and shopping.
It leaves more and more elderly people dependent on friends and relatives for help, if they cannot afford private care. Critics said many become trapped in their homes.
Durham County Council, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Redcar and Cleveland and South Tyneside authorities all impose the "substantial" needs test.
Northumberland County Council excludes anyone whose need is not critical, one of only five to do so.
In contrast, Sunderland is among a shrinking number of councils that offer care to people with "low" needs.
The situation was exposed in a report yesterday, by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), which said that 73 per cent of councils refuse to fund moderate needs.
Announcing the inquiry, Mr Lewis said: "There is no logic to explain why some people are given support and others are not.
"Today's state of social care report highlights major inconsistencies in the way that eligibility criteria is being applied within, and between, local authorities.
"I want to see an end to the 'no help here' culture, which is now creeping into parts of the care system."
Durham County Council said the "acid test" was the number receiving help, which was rising in the county.
Tomorrow, the council will consider plans to spend an extra £850,000 on care for older people to enable them to remain in their homes.
Councillor Morris Nicholls said: "We spend our money supporting those people whose needs most seriously affect their independence. Eligibility criteria are the rules we apply to make sure this happens."
Jan Douglas, the executive director of social care for Middlesbrough Council, said it had operated the same eligibility test for 14 years -the one used by most authorities.
Derek Law, the director of North Yorkshire's community services, said that a year ago, the county relaxed its eligibility criteria from funding only cases of critical need.
The inquiry will be carried out by the CSCI, which will report back on its findings in the autumn.
Yesterday's report found that councils spent £14.2bn on social care last year, but elderly people paid £5.9bn for private care.
Across the country, 150,000 older people are paying for private care, having been denied it by their council.
SOURCE: The Northern Echo UK
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