Govt Adds Insult To Injury Over Care Fee Payments
Providers angry over 2% increase
Care providers say a 2% increase in the fees the Government pays to provide nursing care is a betrayal of the heroic care that has been delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Government has announced that it is to increase the NHS-funded Nursing Care Rate by just 2% from 1st April.
The funding is provided by the NHS to care homes to support the provision of nursing care for tens of thousands of people who need it and are assessed as eligible.
The standard weekly rate per person will increase by 2% from £183.92 to £187.60.
The higher rate of NHS-funded nursing care will also increase by 2% from the current rate of £253.02 to £258.08 per week for the next financial year.
The Independent Care Group (ICG) said the increase was an insult to a sector that had fought so hard and sacrificed so much during the pandemic.
ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “Coming so soon after the announced 1% increase for nurses, this is a further insult to those who have given so much to this country during the past terrible 12 months.
“NHS nurses and social care have been the front line and together have given everything to try to keep the country safe. Then they are rewarded with these increases, which are frankly, an insult.
“This is yet another example of governments failing to recognise and appreciate what social care does. You might think that after the past 12 months they might have understood better.
“But apparently not, and this increase, given the huge extra costs providers are facing through extra staffing, PPE and insurance, it might well be the final straw for some.”
