Nursing homes (Care homes with nursing)
Care homes with nursing care, usually known as nursing homes, are mainly for people who need 24 hour support, and regular care tasks carried out or supervised by a qualified nurse. Individuals who need two people to help them transfer, e.g. from bed to chair, or from a chair to the toilet may also need a nursing home because of the higher staffing levels.
Personal care will include help with getting up and going to bed, dressing, washing and toileting as necessary, and the administration or supervision of medication. Nursing tasks will include dressings, injections, peg feeding pressure sore care etc. In a care home for nursing there will always be a qualified nurse on duty. Some nursing homes will have a proportion of beds only registered for personal care, and the remainder for nursing care, while in others all beds will be registered for nursing.
Charges in care homes with nursing
Charges in care homes with nursing vary considerably. People who need a care home for nursing and have more than £23,250 (2021) in capital will have to pay for their care in full until their money goes down to this level. During the self-funding period they should also be able to claim Attendance Allowance, and subject to an assessment, there will also be a payment of £187.60 pw from the NHS towards the nursing care. This is paid directly to the home.
If the resident’s capital drops to the threshold, social services will pay for the care up to their usual amount. The resident will lose their Attendance Allowance at this stage, and will contribute all their income except for a small personal expenses allowance, and will be expected to pay from their remaining savings till these reduce to £14,250.
A small number of people whose needs are primarily of a medical nature may have their care paid for in full by NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. This is usually only for people whose medical needs are very serious, complex or unstable. If someone is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare they may have less choice about which home they go to. In many areas the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will have a contract with one or two homes to provide care for people who have been assessed as being eligible for this funding. The person will lose their Attendance Allowance after 4 weeks, but will not have to contribute any of their income or savings.
Factsheets about nursing homes
- Housing and care options for older people (EAC Advice)
- Choosing and Paying for a Care Home (EAC Advice)
- NHS funding for care and support (EAC Advice)