Care home costs consultation in Staffordshire to start

A consultation over the amount private care home providers are paid to look after elderly people has been started by Staffordshire County Council.

The authority has proposed spending an extra £3.8m after the Fairer Fee Forum (FFF) challenged in court a decision to freeze the rate in 2011.

The additional money represents an increase of 13.2%, the council said.

A spokesman for the FFF said the proposed extra funding was not likely to be enough.

Prof Martin Green, from the FFF, said: "Even with a 13% increase we should remember that the council was underfunding care.

'Open process'

"I'm not convinced that it will necessary have kept up with the true cost of care."

The forum previously challenged the council's decision to hold prices in 2011/12 at the same level as the previous financial year.

Leader of the Conservative-led authority, Councillor Philip Atkins, said the consultation would be an open process.

Mr Atkins said: "This is a proper consultation and I'm quite certain that the care home providers will have all the paperwork.

"They can make any comments they like and we will take heed of those in the final cabinet report."

Three face-to-face consultations will be carried out next month and a final decision is expected to be made in June.