The Department of Health has provided further clarification of its plans for the funding of long term care as outlined in the NHS plan
Speaking at the Continuing Care Conference, Ben Dyson, spokes- person for the social care group at the DOH, provided details of its Programme for Older People.
This will include improvements to fairness in the funding - most notably the extension of NHS funding for nursing care in nursing homes.
"This will remove the anomaly that residents in the independent sector pay or receive funding for nursing care while those in hospital have it paid for by the NHS. The financial benefit of this will go to approximately a quarter of home residents currently funding their own care," said Dyson.
Dyson said that assessments would be essential to determine the levels of nursing care residents will require. "When considering nursing home care residents will be assessed by registered nurses employed by the NHS. To ensure consistency nurses will be trained to use a structured tool that will look at a range of functions. As a result of the assessment we will be able to determine where care needs will be best met," he said.
It will also ascertain the level of nursing care required by residents and Dyson added that the level of NHS funded care available would not be capped under any circumstances. He said: "There will be no pre-determined level of NHS support and this will be based on the individual's need." No charges for this will be made to individuals and nursing homes will be reimbursed for the cost of registered nurse input.
Rehabilitation will also be central to the plan, which will help prevent inappropriate placements in nursing homes. Dyson said: "We will be providing intermediate care for those who would otherwise end up in a nursing home because of a lack of community-based alternatives."
He added: "Our aim is to improve standards of social welfare and healthcare for the elderly across the country and to ensure dignity and privacy with a whole systems approach."
