Next Steps for the Older Person’s (65+) Care Homes Fee Model and Upcoming Care Home Forum

Following our letter on 11th April regarding the 2025/26 Care Home inflationary uplift award and our review of all the provider feedback received from the recent engagement exercise, we are pleased to outline the council's next steps for the new fee model.

Key Focus Areas:

Nursing Costs: The Council has engaged Valuing Care to examine costs in greater detail. Nursing providers, please expect a separate email soon outlining how you can support this process.

ROC and ROO Levels: In response to provider feedback, the Council will undertake further review of its approach to ROC and ROO in the new Older Persons fee model.

Service Descriptors Development: The Council plans to further develop the Residential and Nursing service descriptors. To achieve this, a short-term internal working group has been established to:

• Thoroughly consider all feedback received from providers
• Further develop the descriptors in partnership with the ICB
• Invite providers and front-line social care staff to participate in testing them to finalise this important work.

Bespoke Pricing Clarification: The Council plans to coordinate a Task and Finish Group on Bespoke Pricing (the process for service users whose needs exceed those outlined in the service descriptors) and we are looking for volunteers to be part of this process. Providers of older person’s care homes who are interested in developing the Bespoke Pricing approach and a clear process to contact Heather Mills at Heather.Mills@devon.gov.uk. The task and finish group will commence the week of 12th May.

In collaboration with Valuing Care and our care providers, we are committed to implementing a new Older Persons (65+) fee model and contract this year. However, as previously stated, there will be a delay in the proposed June implementation date as we finalise the model.

 Nursing Home Forum Update - 6th May 2025

The Nursing Home Forum, held on Tuesday 6th May, was well attended. Thank you to everyone who participated. The actions from the meeting can be accessed here and the slides here.  These will be emailed out to all Nursing providers and added to the PEN website on the Older Person’s Fee Model page.

Upcoming Care Home Forum Event: We invite all our care home providers who hold an open contract with DCC to join our next online Care Home Forum on Tuesday 20th May, from 2pm-3:30pm. Please save the date in your diary. More details, including the meeting registration link, will be sent out via GovDelivery.