Fifteen out of Scotland's 32 local councils have waiting lists

The deputy health minister revealed 15 out of 32 councils had waiting lists, after SNP MSP Shona Robison raised concerns over wait periods in Dundee.

Ms Robison told Holyrood's health committee that more cash was needed.

Lewis Macdonald said he was looking into the matter but all councils had been funded to deliver the initiative.

For the past three years elderly people in Scotland have been entitled to personal care by local councils, once they have been assessed as qualifying for the policy.

However Ms Robison, SNP MSP for Dundee East, told the minister that the policy in some parts of Dundee was only being implemented after individuals had been in nursing homes for more than 90 days because of a shortage of funds.

It's something that Scotland should be proud of, but it is time to sort out these teething problems Spokesman for Help the Aged in Scotland

Mr Macdonald admitted that Scottish Executive research had found that 15 councils had people waiting for the service, and a further two had people waiting for their assessment to see if they qualified for it.

He said: "There may be cases where councils are misunderstanding their obligations and there may be cases where councils are channelling their resources inappropriately."

Ms Robison insisted the issue was purely driven by funding.

She said: "What are you going to do about it, because it's not clear from what you are saying that this is going to come to an end?"

'Talking shop'

A report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation think tank published earlier this year found that costs of free personal care had exceeded expectations, hitting �127m for 2002/03, against an estimated bill of �107m.

A spokesman for Help the Aged in Scotland said it was time to re-assess the policy.

He said: "It's something that Scotland should be proud of, but it is time to sort out these teething problems."