THREAD: This is complicated but v important.
At the moment there are two types of care clients - those who are funded by state (council) and those who fund themselves privately.
Private clients have always paid more than councils do. Providers need that subsidy to survive. 1/4
At the moment there are two types of care clients - those who are funded by state (council) and those who fund themselves privately.
Private clients have always paid more than councils do. Providers need that subsidy to survive. 1/4
But today the government brought into force legislation which will allow private clients to ask councils to arrange their care for them instead, at the cheaper council rate.
Great for private clients, dreadful for providers. 2/4
Great for private clients, dreadful for providers. 2/4
The stark matter is some councils essentially pay under the rate providers need just to break even. Without private clients topping up, those providers will go under. Many already are. And no chance of a wage rise for staff if margins are cut even more (currently about 2%). 3/4
So we face the dangerous prospect of even more carers leaving due to poor pay, or even more providers going under because they can’t break even. That would restrict the availability of care even further, with many thousands already waiting months to find the care they need. 4/4
The @ukhca has elaborated further on this in their concerned reaction to today’s announcement:
ukhcablog.com/blog/health-an…
ukhcablog.com/blog/health-an…
Important clarification from No 10 tonight (bear with me this is even more complex)…
Plan is that Govt will create a new flat rate - somewhere between council & private rate so clients end up paying same. They say this means private providers don’t lose money, it averages out.
Plan is that Govt will create a new flat rate - somewhere between council & private rate so clients end up paying same. They say this means private providers don’t lose money, it averages out.
Will try to get a more clarity on this tomorrow as it continues to cause consternation among care sector tonight… which has always been a mind-bogglingly complicated system.
On this, Health Secretary just said the current system of private clients subsidising council clients “simply isn’t fair”. He says the aim is to raise the rate paid by councils.
Here’s the concern I was talking about last night from care providers who are now coming out publicly to express their worry about the new flat rate model for care.
https://twitter.com/drjanetownson/status/1435680429739290624
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
