Tynwald to be asked to consider nursing and home care cost models

Tynwald will asked to support further research into future models of care funding

Proposals have been put forward to create a "fairer" system for accessing and paying for nursing, residential and home care.

In July, Tynwald will be asked to support further research into two models that would either remove direct charges or cap the amount paid.

The issue has been looked at by the Health and Care Transformation Team.

Health and Social Care Minister Lawrie Hooper said it was time to rethink how the care should be paid for.

He said the two models being put forward were a "mixed model", which would see a threshold and cap on care fees paid and a "free personal care model" without any specific charges.

Both would require people to meet their own accommodation and living costs.

Under the current system, those with assets must pay for their care and much of the support offered is in a residential home setting, rather than home care.

'Significant reform'

The models were originally included in a report in 2018 which outlined six potential models.

Mr Hooper said although introducing a new model would cost "tens of millions of pounds", the current burden on individuals who needed care was "disproportionate".

He said the proposals would see the cost "better spread more fairly across all of us", similarly to the approach to GP appointments and hospital care.

"Just because you get old, it doesn't mean you should be treated any less fairly," he added.

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson, who is also on the transformation team, said now was the time to "go forward with quite a significant reform of the way that social care is funded once we've determined that pathway".

"Then we can see how much it will cost to get that balance between what the individual pays and what the state pays or the taxpayer pays to help them," he added.

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