Agenda item - Fees Paid to Providers 2015/16

Introduction

59.1    The Board considered a report of the Executive Director of Adult Services which outlined current fees paid to independent, voluntary and community care providers.  It made recommendations for fees to be paid in 2015/16.  Those affected would be care providers and potentially the vulnerable for whom they provided care and support.   The report was presented by Denise D’Souza and the Commissioning Manager. 

            Questions and Discussion

59.2    George Mack commented that this was a thorough piece of work.  He referred to paragraph 4.6.2 in the report and asked why the response to the audit of local care homes fees was sparse with only 17% of homes submitting data.  The Commissioning Manager replied that information was provided to a number of homes and the result was disappointingly low. 

59.3    Geraldine Hoban reported that the fee increases had been discussed and agreed at the Clinical Commissioning Group in terms of mirroring the recommendations for the increase.  There had also been a discussion about having a strategic approach to the care home market in the city.  Ms Hoban stressed that the market was under pressure and capacity was becoming more restricted.  There was a need to secure an appropriate number of care homes in the city and for the CCG to work with the Council over the next 3 to 5 years on managing the market.  One focus of work would be to see how the need for care homes could be reduced by the work being carried out through Better Care.

59.4    Councillor Jarrett informed the Board that he had met with the Registered Care Homes Association and a number of concerns they raised were taken into account, particularly in relation to the level of support for dementia patients.  The Registered Care Homes Association also had problems in engaging with care homes.  It was possible that the homes were too busy running their businesses to take time to engage. 

59.5    RESOLVED:

(1)       That the proposed fee increases be agreed, as set out in the table below. 

(2)       That providers supporting people with a diagnosis of dementia living in registered care homes where people needing physical support rates apply, should be rewarded appropriately.  A 1% increase will apply until a policy for this is agreed.