Complaints about "postcode lotteries" are well-rehearsed in the world of health and social care services. But few would deny the seriousness of this problem in relation to the funding of care for people with chronic conditions.

For years now - and with significant help from the health service ombudsman Ann Abraham - more and more cases have come to light of individuals, carers and social services departments being inappropriately expected to foot the bill for care resulting from a long-term health problem.

It is unsurprising, then, that Stephen Ladyman's shift last week away from locally set criteria towards a national framework for assessing eligibility for fully funded NHS continuing care has been welcomed with open arms.

The pressure now must be on developing this national framework as quickly as possible to prevent more vulnerable people falling foul of today's improved yet far-from-perfect system, and on ensuring that it is implemented in a way that is consistent, clear and fair.

This will undeniably require better case management. Social care workers and care home managers owe it to the people they are caring for to keep up-to-date records, and to remember that eligibility for NHS continuing care must be assessed at regular periods, not treated as a one-off event.