Lib Dem anger over 'missing' decision on home care

3.15.20pm GMT Thu 25th Jan 2007

Lib Dems fear that vulnerable people may lose thei r ight to help with washing and dressing

Lib Dem Leader Jeanette Sunderland has written to the Chair of the Social Care Improvement Committee to complain that a vital paragraph that protected vulnerable people from cuts in services is missing from the Committee resolution.

She said,

" I have a copy of the notes that I used to read out the resolution. Paragraph four is quite clear. It says 'This Committee believes that everyone who is assess as requiring help with washing, dressing and undressing, personal care support, getting in and out of bed, eating and drinking, are assessed as having substantial or critical needs.

The omission of this paragraph means that if the Executive changes the criteria for care, then vulnerable people who are currently assessed as having moderate needs could have their services withdrawn.

The Conservative Executive has twice tried to change the criteria that decided who gets help from Social Services in Bradford. Each time councillors on the Social Care Improvement Committee have challenged the Executive. This time, the Conservative members on the committee voted to change the criteria. It's worrying that a Labour committee chair has allowed the critical paragraph to be omitted from the committee resolution. I have written to Councillor Hussain and will be challenging the minutes as the next meeting.

" Social care to vulnerable people in Bradford can be provided - its just a question of political will. The Conservative Executive can spend millions on master plans and consultants but doesn't seem willing to find £1.7 million to support vulnerable people."