An interim increase, backdated to 1 April, for Funded Nursing Care (FNC) of 40 per cent has been announced by the Department of Health.
Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, the largest representative body for independent care providers, says: “The recognition by Ministers and the Department of Health of the important role of nurses working in nursing homes and increasing the funding to residents for their nursing care, is welcome news.
"Care England has worked tirelessly to ensure the rate of FNC was properly reviewed after so many years of nil or very low increases. We thank Mazars LLP for their work in undertaking the review and the DH for following up the review. We will contribute to the remaining research around agency use that needs to be carried out to ensure a final rate is agreed.”
Professor Green continues: “Care England would like to thank all members who took the time to complete the survey for the Mazars review, but also for supporting Care England in raising the profile of this important issue with the DH. The care nurses give in nursing homes is a vital part of our whole care system and moving to a more realistic means of funding this care is an important step in the right direction. We must now also determine how the FNC should be reviewed annually going forward.”
