Care homes

Nursing and residential care

Care homes provide accommodation and meals for older people who are no longer able to live independently, even with the help of carers, family or friends.

There are two types of care home: residential care homes (homes that provide living accommodation, meals and help with personal care) and nursing homes (also provide nursing care).

Are you eligible?

Duties under the Care Act 2014 and NHS National Framework for Continuing Health Care

Assessment of Need

Local Authorities hold a range of duties under the Care Act connected to the provision of care home services. In order to determine whether an individual should be supported in a care home service, a Local Authority must first 'assess' the needs of a person and determine how these needs impact on their wellbeing, and the outcomes that the person wishes to achieve in their day-to-day life.

The Care Act allows such assessments to be carried out jointly with other bodies such as health (making specific reference to NHS funded continuing healthcare) and housing.

Eligibility criteria

Following an assessment process, Local Authorities must determine whether an individual meets the thresholds of the National Eligibility criteria.

Care and Support: Should an individual meet such thresholds then a Local Authority must undertake care and support planning with the individual in order to meet the needs that have been identified in the assessment. The outcome of such support planning might be an agreement to support the individual through the provision of a residential care service.

The care homes market has a number of different entry routes:

• following an Adult Social Care assessment delivered by the Council
• access with the support of WCCCG or VCCG
• access with the support of other Local Authorities or CCGs;
• personal arrangements by individuals
• from Hospital via Discharge to Assess processes

Further information

Residential care homes

If you are reasonably active, but would like greater security and care, subject to a care assessment, a care home offering only personal care may be the best option.

Personal care includes bathing, feeding, dressing and help with moving but it must be paid for if your capital, including savings and investments, exceeds £23,250 (this figure may change after April 2017, please check with Adult Social Care).

Nursing homes

Care homes with nursing provide the same personal care as care homes but with fully-trained nursing staff on duty 24-hours a day. If you think you may need nursing care in a home, you will need to be visited by a social worker or a care manager to work out what care you will need. This visit might be in your own home, in hospital if you've been ill, or in a care home.

You will be fully involved in planning your care needs. If a care home providing nursing care is the best solution for you, your social worker can give you information to help you find a home which meets your care requirements.

The nursing care part of your fees is paid by the NHS to the home directly; the current amount is £158.16 per week (this figure may change in line with NHS changes to funding).