Question reference: S2W-31900
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
- Date lodged: 20 February 2007
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Current status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 March 2007
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the findings published in the Care 21 report, The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland, it will ensure that all local authorities (a) inform all eligible carers of their right to a carers’ assessment, (b) ensure that all carers receive an individual assessment within a reasonable timescale and (c) improve the quality of carers’ assessments to ensure that all carers receive the support and resources they need and that the assessment makes an appreciable difference to their lives.
Answer
Both the Executive and localpartnerships have taken a number of steps to improve the take-up of carer assessments.
The Community Care and Health(Scotland) Act 2002 gives carers the right to an assessment of their ability to care.The legislation requires local authorities to inform them of this right.
We have required local partnershipsto report on local improvement targets to increase numbers of carer assessments.
NHS Carer Information Strategies,which will take effect from April, will help to improve carer identification andsupport. Crucially, they will include systems to inform carers of their right toassessment.
It is for individual local authoritiesto allocate resources, in light of local needs and priorities, to ensure adequateservice delivery.