RNHA: Insufficient funding for care homes

Care homes are victims of insufficient funding, according to the Registered Nursing Home Association (RNHA).

Frank Ursell, chief executive officer of the RNHA, explained that local authorities "use their monopsony to force down the price they pay" for care homes.

"They have been doing it since 1993, but over the past two years many have not offered any increase in fees," he stated.

Three judicial reviews over the past year - Pembrokeshire, Sefton and East Midlands - have all found that the refusal of local authorities to increase fees in line with a rise in costs is "unlawful", but change has yet to take place.

Care homes have continually received insufficient government funding, despite the release of research from the medical community showing how care is vital to improve the recovery and experiences of patients.

Mr Ursell asserted that multiple reports from respected independent analysts have each "identified that residential and nursing home care is underfunded by local authorities" to the tune of approximately £100 per week.

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