Government pressed to introduce free personal care south of border

Charities, unions and campaigners have sent a joint statement to
the government urging it to give people in England, Northern
Ireland and Wales free access to personal and nursing care.

As part of the Right to Care campaign, the agencies signed a
joint statement calling on the government to give all citizens in
the UK equal access to free personal and nursing care.

Organisations that signed the statement were Age Concern,
Alzheimer’s Society, Arthritis Society, Counsel and Care,
Help the Aged, Leonard Cheshire, Mencap, NHS Consultants
Association, NHS Support Federation, Radar, Royal College of
Nursing and Unison.

Paul Evans, director of independent pressure group NHS Support
Federation, said: “Seventy-five per cent of the public are in
favour of free nursing and personal care. People believe that our
society can and should look after its most vulnerable
citizens.”

Free personal care for people aged 65 was introduced in Scotland
this week.