Do I have to pay for personal care?

Personal and nursing care is available - without charge - for everyone in Scotland aged 65 and over.

Free nursing care is available for people of any age.

The Scottish Government website has more information on free personal care.

• What is personal care?
• How do I qualify for personal care services?

 

What is personal care?

Personal care can include:

Personal hygiene

• bathing
• showering
• hair washing
• shaving
• oral hygiene
• nail care

Continence management

• toileting
• catheter/stoma care
• skin care
• incontinence laundry
• bed changing

Food and diet

• assistance with eating and assistance with special diets
• assistance to manage different types of meal services
• assistance with preparation of food

Problems of immobility

• dealing with the consequences of being immobile or substantially immobile

Counselling and support

• behaviour management
• psychological support
• reminding devices

Simple treatments

• Assistance with medication (including eye drops), application of creams and lotions, simple dressings, oxygen therapy.

Personal assistance

• assistance with dressing, surgical appliances, prostheses, mechanical and manual aids
• assistance to get up and to go to bed
• transfers including use of a hoist

The types of personal care provided will vary according to your assessed care needs.

 

How do I qualify for personal care services?

In order to receive personal care services, or payments allowing you to choose who will provide the services to you, you need to have an assessment to see if you need them. The types of personal care provided will vary according to your assessed care needs.

If you want to have an assessment to determine your care needs you should contact your local social work office. The assessment will normally be done by a care manager or home care supervisor.

 

The assessment will look at:

• your personal care needs
• your health
• your living conditions
• how much help you need with daily living, and
• the health of your carer, if you have one

The assessment tells us what priority you should have and what services you could be offered.

Priority is based on your circumstances and makes sure that those at most risk, or with the greatest need, are the first to receive services.

Provision of free personal care, or payments to others to provide these services, can only take affect after an assessment of your needs has taken place.

 

However, if you:

Are already receiving services from us (or another agency on our behalf) in your own home, and you are paying for some, or all of these, we will ensure you receive personal care free of charge

Are already living in a care home, and we are contributing towards the costs, we will make sure your entitlement to free personal or nursing care happens automatically

Arranged your own place in a care home before the 31st of March 2002, we will not need to carry out a full assessment of your needs. If you are over 65, you will be entitled to £145 per week for your personal care, or £210 per week if you also need nursing care. If you are under 65 and need nursing care, you will be entitled to £65 per week. If you have not already contacted us to ensure you receive this help, please contact your local Social Work office.

Are considering arranging your own place in a care home or are arranging your own care within your own home, it is important that you understand how free personal and/or nursing care can affect you before you make your arrangements.If you want further information please contact your local Social Work office.