Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 2.1(5) of the Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom, published in March 2015, what mechanism would be used to resolve or arbitrate on a disagreement between local authorities relating to the moving of an adult’s care package from one UK country to another.

Alistair Burt

The “Principles for maintaining continuity of care when moving across borders within the United Kingdom” provide a framework for local authorities to support adults with care and support who move between countries in the United Kingdom without having their care interrupted.

Adhering to the principles should reduce the potential for disagreement, however, where disagreements do arise, the Department and the Devolved Administrations would expect the parties to act reasonably and to make full efforts to resolve the dispute between themselves through constructive dialogue, cooperation and communication, including the timely sharing of information, and focussing on the well-being of the adult. The timely and effective resolution of disputes is in the interest of all parties, not least, the adult in question.

It is not possible to be definitive about which authority a cross-border continuity of care matter should be pursued with because it will depend on the facts and the nature of the issue. The adult may wish to approach their own local authority in the first instance. However where an issue raised with an authority falls within the remit of the other, the principle that the authorities should work together and share information should apply.