The 5 ESSENTIALS to maximising social care fees

(🫣You could be literally THROWING MONEY AWAY)

When was the last time you reviewed every single fee in your Care Home?

I have completed this exercise for many providers and whilst results vary my average return so far is over £25k per home.

I thought I would share what I have found to help you MAXIMISE your fees.

This is especially important during these times of rocketing costs

❗️So here are the 5 areas to concentrate on to ensure maximum returns

✴️ Correct rate: Is each and every service user on the correct rate. You may be surprised by the number of users that are on an incorrect fee rate to begin with. Get an up to date fee rate from your Local Authority.

✴️ Last fee uplift: When was the last fee uplift each resident had. I have found residents with no uplift for over 12 years! Do a quick check. You have nothing to lose. Your Local Authority may not automatically increase fees, they can be very forgetful…… If you have not had a fee increase then you need to contact the funder ASAP to ask.

✴️ Right service rate: Is the service user on the right fee rate for the service. If they have a diagnosis of Dementia, are they on the Dementia rate? This is often higher. By ensuring your residents are in the right service category you can often achieve some quick wins

✴️ FNC: Do your nursing clients have Funded Nursing Care in place. You may be surprised how many are missed. Have their needs changed recently to nursing care? You will need to apply for this. Don’t hang around, ask for FNC through your local CCG. They will probably come and do a full review, although each CCG may operate differently.

✴️ Dependency / needs change: How often do you complete dependency needs reviews. Has a Resident/Service User needs changed? If so ask for a review and uplift to meet the increased need. Show any increase in staff hours caused by the change in dependency. Make sure you have your evidence to reflect the increased need

Be prepared to fight. Local Authorities do not part with their cash easily and are likely to resist any move to increase the rates they pay. Your contract will outline how to complain or solve a dispute. Don’t be afraid of going down this route if you need too. I have found that individual cases are resolved very quickly when a dispute or complaint is raised.

Whilst most LAs operate a set fee rate, there are some that ask you to bid for each care package. There is still value in completing this exercise as many of the points covered will still apply. For instance, if needs change you can still apply for an increased fee.

‼️I have produced a spreadsheet that can help you with all of the above and assist you to prioritise fee reviews. Just sign up to receive more tips and your spreadsheet here ‼️ Martyn Dawes is a Coach, Social Care Consultant, and Author of The Overwhelmed Manager: What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do