Care England, the largest representative body of independent adult social care providers, has expressed disbelief at the paltry Funded Nursing Care rates.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:

“This decision shows contempt for a sector that has been on the front line during this pandemic, and may be the final blow that sees some services close. The impact of closures on the people we support, their families, and the dedicated staff, will be immeasurable”.

Regulations to set the Funded Nursing Care rate for 2021-22 were laid in Parliament this morning.
From April 1, the standard weekly rate per person will increase by 2% from £183.92 to £187.60 and 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. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-funded-nursing-care-rate-to-increase

Care England has worked tirelessly to demonstrate how care home nurses have led during the pandemic. It has supplied the DHSC with copious evidence of those extra responsibilities and costs but to no avail. The rate mirrors that of last year, but we are of course in a very different place which hasn’t been understood, acknowledged or recompensed.

We would ask that the DHSC is fully transparent in evidencing how it came to a 2% increase for 2021-22.

Martin Green continues:

“Following last week’s dismal proposed pay increase for NHS nurses, the Government’s recent Funded Nursing Care announcement has truly confirmed that the Government see care home nurses as equally undeserving”.