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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Assembly Member pushes for more time for Continuing Care Claims
November 17, 2009 12:00 AM
Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister, Peter Black, has asked the First Minister to look at moving the deadline for Continuing Care Claims back to allow more time to publicise it.
Anyone who had to pay for care, or whose relative had to pay for care, prior to April 2003, that should have been available on the NHS may be entitled to compensation. However, the deadline for making a compensation claim is currently December 4th.
The Welsh Assembly Government has written to Health Boards advising them that publicising the deadline is their responsibility. However, Mr. Black has asked the Health Boards for details of how they are achieving this within their own areas. One Health Board replied saying that the Welsh Assembly Government was taking the lead on this, and others said that they had distributed the standard letter to GP surgeries and press releases to the media.
However, a sample letter based on the prescribed format from the Welsh Assembly Government shows the publicity materials being used are very technical and make little reference to what the claim deadline is regarding.
When questioned by Mr. Black, Rhodri Morgan AM, the First Minister, replied that he did not accept that there were an inadequacies in the way the deadline was being communicated.
Mr. Black said:
"While I understand the need for a deadline for claims, such a deadline must be communicated to everyone in a way in which they can understand. Many people are not aware of the fact that they may be eligible to claim and the notices that are being delivered would not increase this awareness."
"With one Health Board still believing that the Welsh Assembly Government is taking the lead on this, it is clear there is still confusion on how this deadline should be advertised. Putting notices in care homes and GPs surgeries is not enough, as many people who may be able to claim will not visit these premises before the deadline. Newspapers are a good idea, but again things need to be clear."
"I do not want to see anyone miss out on the compensation that they may be entitled to because they were not aware of the deadline for their claims and there is a need to ensure that everyone who could claim is aware of this. This can only be achieved through a sustained advertising campaign and information in accessible language, not civil service speak."
"I have asked the First Minister to consider extending the deadline for claims to allow for a better advertisement campaign, but it appears that he has no interest in doing so."
"Those who think they may have a claim now only have two weeks to do so, so I would urge anyone who thinks this may be the case to act quickly."
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