News
Read about all of the latest stories of interest to the MS Community.
Win a Fiat 500 worth £10,000!
Greenmonkey Media are supporting the MS Society Cymru by offering a Fiat 500 car as a prize. The company, who specialise in mobile and Bluetooth advertising, wanted to support the MS Community in a way that they knew best; through advertising.For £5.00, entrants can purchase a chance to win the prize and make a donation to the MS Society Cymru.
For more information, contact mark@greenmonkey-media.com
January 2010
Welsh Government launches Green Paper for Adult Social Care
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to reform the social care system in Wales. The proposals contained in "Paying for Care in Wales: Creating a fair and sustainable system," set out different options for how personal care could be funded in Wales. There are many similarities in the proposals to the English Green Paper, including the 5 options as to how personal care should be funded in the future.
Option 1 - Pay for yourself - This has been ruled out by the Welsh Government as it would not solve the current problem of individuals paying for their care.
Option 2 - Taxation - This option would require the Welsh Government to raise additional money through taxes to fund personal care. This could only work if funding personal care was made the responsibility of local authorities, who would then have to raise council tax and business rates.
Option 3 - Partnership - The Government has calculated that the average cost of personal care for someone over the age of 65 is £30,000. In this model the Welsh Government would pay a third (£10,000) or a quarter (£7,500) and the individual would fund the rest themselves.
Option 4 - Insurance - In this option the proportion that individuals need to pay (1/4 or 1/3) would be met by an insurance policy. The Welsh Government would either assist private companies to offer personal care insurance or would establish a state insurance company.
Option 5 - Comprehensive - In this option every adult over the age of 65 would have to contribute to an insurance fund.
What about young people living with MS?
The one thing that features very little in the Green Paper is how care for adults under the age of 65 should be paid for. The only mention in the paper states: "The funding options [Options 1 to 5] that are proposed are to support all adults."
MS Society Cymru is concerned about how care for people with MS is funded in the future and will raise this in its response. Members of the Welsh Policy and Campaigns Network will be consulted on the Green Paper before MS Society Cymru responds in the new year.
If you would like more information, please contact Joseph Carter, Policy, Press & Campaigns Manager, on 029 2078 6676 or email Joseph. Alternatively, visit www.payingforcareinwales.net
December 2009 - January 2010
New MS Support Group to be launched in Swansea in 2010
MS Cymru is setting up a new Support Group in Swansea for younger people affected by MS. Join us and discover you are not alone, have some fun, make new friends and share in the support that meeting people with similar experiences can offer.The venue is a great location - Café TwoCann, King’s Road, Swansea Waterfront, SA1 8PL and we are currently considering monthly meetings on Tuesday evenings between 7.00 and 9.00 Start date to be confirmed.
To register your interest or for more information contact Sue Jones, Local Support Development Officer on 01633 889290 or email Sue.
December 2009 - January 2010