FRANK’s law is to become Scotland’s law, after the First Minister announced plans to extend free personal care to terminally ill under-65s.
It’s a victory for Amanda Kopel, whose husband Frank — a former Dundee United footballer — was diagnosed with dementia when he was 59.
Since 2013, the widow has been lobbying MSPs to look again at the discrimination in how care is provided.
Because he was under 65, Frank had to pay for his care, around £300 a week, forcing the couple into hardship.
He died just week after his 65th birthday, having had just 19 days of free personal care.
Frank’s Law, as the campaign has become known, would see the government change the law so that anyone with terminal illnesses, like dementia, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and cancer, regardless of age, gets free personal care. Health Secretary Shona Robison announced a feasibility study earlier this year, to consider the “costs, benefits, challenges and consequences of extending free personal care”.
Yesterday, Sturgeon said the feasibility study had encouraged the government to implement the law.
“The campaign for what has become known as Frank’s Law — named after Frank Kopel — advocates the extension of free personal care to the under-65s,” she told MSPs.
“The Scottish Government undertook to carry out a study into the feasibility of making this change.
“That study has been published today and I am pleased to announce that we will now begin work to fully implement Frank’s Law.”
Kopel told her local paper she was delighted with the victory: “I look back to when Frankie scored that winning goal against Anderlecht and I’m sure he’ll be watching the now and saying ‘look what we did Amanda’.”
She added: “I have kept my promise to Frankie. He said to me ‘it’s too late for me but it’s going to help other people in the future’.”
Scottish Tory MSP Miles Briggs had taken up the cause, securing support form Labour and the Liberal Democrats, and Scottish Greens for a members bill.
He welcomed the First Minister’s promise: “It is welcome news that at long last the Scottish Government has committed to implementing Frank’s Law in full.
“It’s clear that ministers have been forced into this position by public and political pressure, but in the end they have finally done the right thing and decided to remove age discrimination for sufferers of life limiting conditions who are under 65.
“I urge ministers to set out a clear timetable for the implementation of the extension of free personal care and I will be seeking an early meeting with them to pin them down on these details.
“This is a huge personal victory for Amanda Kopel whose determined, high profile and consistently dignified campaigning has been outstanding from the very start”.
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