Council set to increase the money it pays to care providers

 

Care providers in Cheshire East are set to be paid more by the Council to reflect the important work that they do supporting vulnerable and older people.

The Council is also continuing to phase out 15-minute domiciliary care visits, a pledge it made in 2015.

The recommendations will go before the next full Council meeting on February 25 following approval by the recent meeting of Cabinet.

A further recommendation is that care provision funding continues if a resident is in hospital for up to two weeks in order that continuity with care staff is maintained. 

This should avoid any unnecessary delay in discharge from hospital.  

An extra £5.44million is to be found to increase the rates paid to providers, including domiciliary care agencies, residential and nursing care homes and direct payments to residents. 

In the care home sector, providers can expect to benefit from fee increases of up to 13.5 per cent.

Care fees paid by Cheshire East have remained at the same level since April 2009.

They were last reviewed in 2013 when it was decided they should remain unchanged.

Fees for 30 minutes visits will rise by an average of 6.46 per cent, for 45 minute calls by 6.85 per cent and for hour-long visits by 21.12 per cent.  New rates will range from £8.20 to £14.20.

Direct payments will also be increased by an average of 16.3 per cent.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cabinet member in charge of adult social care and well being, said: “The Care Act places additional requirements on the Council to adopt a formal approach to its fee structure and to take into account the cost of care locally.

“”We are pleased to be in a position to invest more money into our care system and we hope this reflects a requirement on employers to ensure staff are paid the national living wage.

“Cheshire East values the dedication shown by the care workforce across the Borough and we recognise extremely hard work they put in.

“We are also in a position to deliver on our promise of ending 15-minute care visits, except where residents expressly request short visits. 

“Most of the visits made in Cheshire East are for 30 minutes duration and in 1,650 cases visits are as long as one hour.”

Currently the Council spends around £80 million on providing externally commissioned care for some 5,600 adults who require support.