It’s that time of year again, when the Government announces changes to the rates for NHS-funded nursing care or FNC.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s announcement on 11 May 2022 confirmed that the standard weekly rate per person paid to care homes for NHS-funded nursing care has increased by 11.5% from £187.60 to £209.19 for 2022 to 2023 and will be backdated to 1 April 2022.
The announcement also confirmed that a retrospective uplift on the 2021 to 2022 rate has been applied providing an estimated additional £87million to the sector – this is in recognition of the additional time and work provided by nurses in care homes during the pandemic.
From 1 June 2022, the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 will come into force providing that the “flat rate payment” has risen to £209.19 and a “high band payment” has increased to from £258.08 to £287.78.
Commenting on the new FNC rates, Professor Martin Green Chief Executive of Care England, said:
“Care England has focussed tirelessly on FNC since 2015 to secure a rate payable to reflect the challenges of providing nursing care in a sector troubled by workforce shortages, rising agency costs and increasing resident dependency. We commend the Department of Health and Social Care for recognising the cost increases faced by providers and the impact of the pandemic on our valued nurses. As we move forward, we must seek longer-term solutions to the national nursing shortage and the difficulties the sector has recruiting nurses and slowing the rates of attrition.”
Our content explained
Every piece of content we create is correct on the date it’s published but please don’t rely on it as legal advice. If you’d like to speak to us about your own legal requirements, please contact one of our expert lawyers.