The Department of Health determines the Funded Nursing Care (FNC) contribution for residents of care homes with nursing and new rates come into effect every 1 April. After a specific review conducted earlier in the year to inform the 2016/17 rate there has still been no announcement from the Department of Health. Yet in Wales care homes have been informed of their rate.
Professor Martin Green OBE CEO Care England, says: “In spite of a review having been delivered to the Department of Health and conducted to a very tight timescale that providers had to meet for the provision of information, the Department of Health has still not decided on the rate for this year. This is causing distress to residents, and homes who cannot reconcile accounts, plan for future budgeting or inform their residents of the money they will be allocated to help meet nursing bills.”
Green continues: “Residents in England are being discriminated against whilst in Wales people know their rates. We are at a loss to understand the delay and it is symptomatic of residents and care home providers simply not getting the priority they deserve in our health and care system. In the current financial environment social care providers are working hard to deliver the best services to older and frail people and the Department of Health should not be making this job any more difficult. It is simply not acceptable.”
