DCC: Change of Hospital Discharge Rates

We are pleased to inform you that new Hospital Discharge (HD) rates have been agreed with NHS Devon ICB and will take effect on Monday 8th December 2025. Please find the updated rates and how they will apply below:

Placements will be made under the Adult Residential & Nursing Care Home Pre‑placement Agreement (In County) 2025 for residential placements and for nursing placements the NHS Devon Nursing Home contract.

Key Information

• The new rates apply only to new short-term support (STS) Hospital Discharge placements (Pathways 2 and 3) that start on or after Monday 8th December 2025.
• No retrospective changes will be made to placements that started before 8th December 2025.
• Offers issued before 8th December 2025, where admission starts on or after that date, will be paid at the new rates.

Please note that all Hospital Discharge placements are temporary while Health Needs, Care Act and financial assessments are completed to determine long‑term arrangements. During this period, the individual contract will be a Health Service Agreement and the HD rate will continue to apply until all relevant assessments are completed.

Our Arranging Support Teams (AST) will only make HD placements with care homes that:

• have signed the 2025 DCC Adult Residential & Nursing Care Home Agreement, which sets out Hospital Discharge contracting arrangements (including use of a Health Service Agreement and application of the HD rate until a Care Act assessment is completed);
• accept and offer placements at the new HD rates which will remain fixed until the point of assessment;
• in exceptional circumstances providers may approach the ICB/DCC to seek additional emergency funding during the period of assessment based on risk and this will be at the discretion of the local authority / ICB in line with schemes of delegation;
• have appropriate primary care medical support in place (this requirement currently impacts homes in West Devon only).

As you may have already heard, on the 12th November 2025 Devon County Council Cabinet agreed investment to work with Newton as an Adult Social Care transformation partner. Newton will be working alongside the council for the next 2 years to support us in delivering better outcomes for our residents and supporting financial sustainability. One key area that this partnership will be focused, which we're positive will have mutual benefits, is improving the outcomes for our residents upon hospital discharge. Early into the new year, we will be inviting providers and health partners to join us in a workshop facilitated by Newton to start to co-design how we can improve our approach to Hospital Discharge together.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Chris Morley

Nicola Tribble