NHS funding of nursing in care homes to be reviewed

The government has announced that it will be reviewing the rate paid by the NHS to private care providers to fund nursing services in care homes.

To be carried out by the Department of Health, the review will take place in the current financial year. The current rate payable for 2015/16 is 112 pounds a week per resident.

A government statement said: "This review will consider whether the rate paid is reflective of the costs of providing this important service and supports high quality out-of-hospital care."

Registered nursing care for residents who are assessed to be eligible in nursing homes is funded by the NHS. Publicly-funded nursing care was introduced by the Health and Social Services Act 2001, which made care provided by registered nurses in nursing homes an NHS responsibility.

Patients may qualify for funding if they are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, but have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse, or if they live in a care home registered to provide nursing care.