The Liberal Democrats have today published a report on the government's free nursing care scheme.

The report of health authorities and primary care trusts has revealed that more than three out of five of the people coordinating the 'free' nursing care scheme have evidence of nursing homes putting up their fees and pocketing the cash rather than passing the money onto their residents.

Forum Response: Help the Aged

Jonathan Ellis, health policy officer at Help the Aged, told ePolitix.com: "We welcome the report from the Liberal Democrats on the implementation of the government's 'free nursing care' policy.

"The survey paints a picture of a policy in crisis, plagued by delays, confusion and bureaucracy, with many people never seeing the full benefit of the NHS contribution towards the cost of their nursing care. The results of the survey mirror closely what older people and their families have been telling us about their experiences of the policy."Help the Aged strongly supports the recommendation that the government should introduce free nursing and personal care for all, as proposed originally by the Royal Commission on Long Term Care. The policy that we have at present continues to be unfair, unworkable and unsustainable."

Forum Response: Counsel and Care

Les Bright, deputy chief executive of Counsel and Care, told ePolitix.com: "Paul Burstow has developed a knack of drawing attention issues that ought to concern us all. While it may be possible to characterise the problem - of homes keeping some or all of the money they are receiving for their patients "free nursing care" - as yet another case of 'wicked nursing home owners' maximising their profits at the expense of frail older people, that really is not the problem at all.

"The case for establishing a "Fair Rate for Care" is strong and unanswerable, with even directors of social services now supporting the need to set such a rate, removing the justification that some home owners could use for raising their charges as soon as they see some 'new' money appearing.

"Separating out nursing care from personal care has always looked like a bad idea in principle, with the likelihood of it being an even worse idea in practice. Burstow's report, and other anecdotal evidence confirms this.

"Time, energy and effort spent conducting assessments and reassessments and then channelling money through what few of us felt would be the most efficient route, could and should be translated into a commitment to meet the cost - subject to the usual test of an individual's capital and income - of being cared for.

"If there is to be no change in principle then there must be change in practice with the money being routed direct to the named older person or their agreed nominee."