§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date they intend to bring into effect Section 49 (exclusion of nursing care from community care services) of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. [HL194]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathDraft guidelines and draft directions to implement free nursing care for those funding their own care from 1 October will be issued for consultation shortly. Once the consultation is completed, a decision will be taken about the90WA commencement of Section 49 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. It will need to be brought into effect for different groups at different times.
§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the basis of the calculation of the figure of £80 million to be allocated to health authorities for meeting the cost of nursing care for self-funders from October 2001 to April 2002; and whether this allocation includes any provision for the administration costs to the National Health Service of taking over the funding of nursing care in nursing homes; and [HL.195]
Whether any additional funding will be made available to health authorities if the proposed £80 million to be allocated to health authorities for meeting the costs of nursing care for self-funders from October 2001 to April 2002 proves inadequate to meet the cost of such nursing care. [HL.196]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Government have estimated the additional cost to the Exchequer of providing free nursing care in England to be £80 million in 2001–02. This estimate assumed that nursing care would be provided for approximately 35,000 self-funding nursing home residents.
This figure includes the costs of assessing the nursing care needed and general administration costs for self-funding clients.
It will be for health authorities in partnership with primary care groups/trusts to manage their budgets in a way that ensures that people's needs for nursing care are met.
§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether those residents in a nursing home who as a result of the nursing assessment in October are found to require "continuing National Health Service health care" will have their fees met from the £80 million allocated for nursing care or from their health authority's current continuing care budget. [HL197]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathFrom October 2001, health authorities will have allocations for care by a registered nurse in a nursing home (free nursing care). Anyone in a nursing home or in any other setting who requires continuing National Health Service health care will be funded from health authorities' existing continuing care budget.
§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to make information available on the number of nursing home residents who are found to fall within the "continuing health care" eligibility criteria and consequently qualify for fully-funded National Health Service care. [HL198]
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§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThere are no plans to collect this information centrally. Health authorities already monitor the number of people receiving fully-funded National Health Service continuing care in all settings, including nursing homes.