Brian Whittle MSP has hit out at South Ayrshire Council’s decision to remove funding set aside to fund care for under-65s with conditions like dementia.
Until just three months ago, under-65s with dementia and other serious conditions were not eligible to receive free care. But after years of campaigning by the Scottish Conservatives and Amanda Kopel, the wife of ex-footballer Frank Kopel, who died from dementia in 2014 before he was old enough to receive free care, the Scottish Government agreed to change the law.
Now, following the announcement that South Ayrshire’s Joint Integration Board is not setting aside any funding to cover the costs of Frank’s Law, South Scotland MSP Brian is calling for a rethink.
Commenting, Brian Whittle MSP said:
“I was proud to support Amanda Kopel’s campaign to introduce Frank’s law and close this unfair loophole in care funding.
So much time and effort went in to getting the SNP to agree to Frank’s Law and now the ink is barely dry on the bill before an SNP run council is backing out.
It’s a lousy decision that risks making life harder for some of our most vulnerable people.
The SNP Government have serious questions to answer about the funding and financial management of councils and NHS boards if IJB’s are being forced to take such radical decisions.”
