 Homes receive funding for each patient's nursing care |
Care home managers have criticised increases in NHS funding for nursing care as "inadequate". They were responding to a government announcement outlining how much funding homes in England will receive to cover individual patient's needs.
The English Community Care Association warned the rates were too low, and people may have to go into hospital to receive the necessary care.
Owners have warned homes can be forced to close if their income is too low.
'Flexibility'
Nursing care funding is divided into three bands - high, medium, low - and is paid by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to care homes based on the level of an individual resident's need, rather than their income.
The Department of Health announced the highest rate will rise from �120 to �125 per week and the medium rate �75 to �77.50 from April. The lowest band will remain at its current rate of �40 per week, but PCTs will be able to decide to pay a higher amount for individual cases.
Announcing the rises, health minister Stephen Ladyman said: "Increases to the medium and high band in future years will continue to be broadly based on increases in the level of NHS nurses' pay.
"Where people have less intensive care needs that fall below the medium band we will leave the rate to PCTs.
"By giving PCTs this flexibility, they can ensure the right care for the individual and better value for money for the NHS."
Pressure
But Ann Mackay, director of community care for the English Community Care Association - the largest representative body of care homes in England - said: "The increases of 3.3% and 4.1% for the middle and high bands respectively reflect government indifference to the funding crisis facing care homes in England.
"Inadequate funding for nursing in nursing homes will lead to further pressure on NHS hospital beds.
"Moreover, self-funding residents will have, in effect, the value of the nurse contribution reduced from April 2004.
"This is because the increases are below the rate of nurse wage inflation set by the government."
The ECCA said the current bands did not reflect the true cost of providing nursing care, yet nurse pay increases in the NHS in 2004 will total 5.9% or more.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Inadequate funding for nursing in nursing homes will lead to further pressure on NHS hospital beds 
