Comment: Care problems must be resolved

Jan 30 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

IN THE constant battle over scarce financial resources by local authorities, it is the elderly who are increasingly bearing the brunt of the pain.

This picture is confirmed by watchdogs at the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), who said councils were tightening their criteria which determines who is eligible for care.

Therefore, those with "moderate" needs are judged by 73% of local authorities – including Wirral and Sefton – as not eligible for help, even though, according to their own criteria, those with "moderate" needs cannot carry out everyday tasks such as getting up in the morning, bathing, making meals, housework and shopping.

Critics say this leaves more and more elderly people dependent on friends and relatives for help if they cannot afford private care, with many becoming trapped in their own homes. In effect, there is a postcode lottery in operation, as Liverpool City Council, and other authorities in Merseyside and North Cheshire, do fund "moderate" need.

Such glaring inconsistencies in care have provoked the usual round of name- calling by those in local and central government. For example, Ivan Lewis, the social care minister, accused authorities which ration care of a "no help here" attitude – leaving the frail and infirm to fend for themselves.

But this has provoked a furious response from Wirral, who point out that CSCI had praised it for the numbers receiving intensive home care, as well as for the fast delivery of equipment.

What does not appear to be in doubt, however, is that the social care system is at breaking point through chronic under- funding. The CSCI report found that people who only five years ago qualified for council-arranged help are now excluded, and left to fend for themselves.

This is a disgraceful state of affairs and shows the gap between need and provision is growing ever wider.

Local and central government need to stop blaming each other for the crisis and concentrate on providing the best care for all those who are genuinely in need of it.