Editor’s blog Wednesday 21 July 2010: Government's social care consultation

The next consultation is on social care funding, and its website is here. Its terms of reference are here.

Andrew Dilnot is a very smart man indeed, who will make a first-rate chair. Doubtless his first task will be to trawl through all the previous comissionins on social care. He might find a couople of salutory links here.

Tight time-frame, for the end of July ...

"The Commission should judge funding models against set criteria, which it should agree, and present to the Government for approval, within the first two months. The assessment should include the following criteria:

Choice: offering an affordable choice to individuals, carers and families across a range of care settings, and helping people plan and prepare for the future;
Fairness: for individuals, families, carers and wider society;
Value for money: securing the highest quality care outcomes with the available resources;
Sustainability: ensuring the costs to the state are sustainable in the context of an ageing population.

In assessing options, the Commission will also be expected to take account of:
Earlier work carried out on the issue, including the Green Paper, ‘Shaping the future of care together’, the King’s Fund Report, ‘Securing good care for more people’, the proposals for a Home Protection Scheme published in October 2009, and other academic research, international experience and public consultations"