Financial Express (India)’s Post

We are proud to announce the publication of our latest report: "Fee rates for state-funded homecare in 2024-25”. From 1 April 2024 the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.8% to £11.44 per hour, while the Real Living Wage rose in October 2023 by 10.1% to £12 per hour. Our aim was to investigate whether public bodies have increased fee rates for homecare enough to cover costs. This research reveals alarming trends in homecare funding across the United Kingdom and calls for immediate changes to ensure the sustainability and quality of care services. Key Findings: - The average fee rate for regular homecare contracts with local authorities/HSC Trusts in 2024-25 is £23.26 per hour, far below our Minimum Price for Homecare. - Only 1% of contracts met or exceeded our Minimum Price for Homecare in their respective nations. - The UK fee rate uplift of 7.5% fails to match the increase in the National Living Wage (9.8%) or the Real Living Wage (10.1%). - 6% of contracts have rates that don't even cover careworker direct costs, risking poor quality care and potential labour abuse. - An estimated additional £1.67 billion is needed in England alone to enable careworkers to receive wages equivalent to NHS Band 3 healthcare assistants (with 2+ years’ experience). Our Recommendations: - Provide adequate and ring-fenced funding to local authorities for fair care pricing. - Mandate minimum fee rates for homecare to enable fair pay and working conditions. - Shift commissioning approaches to focus on outcomes rather than time and task. - Improve the timeliness of fee rate announcements, especially in the NHS. - Develop a ten-year plan to attract more people into the care workforce. The current situation is unsustainable and risks the quality and safety of care for vulnerable individuals across the UK.  We urge all stakeholders - policymakers, commissioners, providers and advocates - to review this information and join us in pushing for reforms. Together, we can work towards a more sustainable and higher-quality homecare sector for all. Read the full report and comment from our Chief Executive, Dr Jane Townson OBE on our website: https://lnkd.in/eWGbPqkS #Socialcare #Homecare #Funding #Feerates

🚀 𝙇𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙧’𝙨 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢, 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧? Labour’s manifesto pledges to ‘reform’ primary care with ‘Neighbourhood Health Centres,’ integrating GPs, nurses, and more under one roof. Full link to article is below 👇 Key points include: 𝑵𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔: Combining GPs, nurses, and specialists. 𝙋𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚: Expanding pharmacists' prescribing rights. 𝘿𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨: Easing GP workloads. 40,000 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒍𝒚: Reducing NHS wait times. Funding will apparently come from cracking down on tax loopholes, without increasing taxes on working people. While the vision is promising, it lacks details on increased investment in general practice and future plans for the GP partnership model. I'm keen to hear the thoughts of my fellow primary care professionals! How do you think these changes will impact our sector? #PrimaryCare #HealthcareReform #GPs #LabourManifesto #CommunityHealth #GeneralPractice

Experts laud bold steps in innovation and healthcare transformation in interim budget

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India on Thursday shared an explainer on how Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (#ABHA) are facilitating cashless transactions and managing financial aspects related to #healthcareservices under the ‘#AyushmanBharat’ scheme. ABHA, a key component of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is an account/number used to link all the #healthrecords of a person. In addition, ABHA generates valuable data insights that can be used for evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation, which helps in addressing #healthcare challenges effectively and improving the overall quality of care.

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan underscored the negative impacts of practices such as staffing cuts following buyouts, highlighting the inquiry’s pivotal role in curtailing strategies that prioritize profit over patient welfare. The inquiry, she noted, aims not only to address current concerns but also to proactively preserve competition within healthcare markets... #antitrust #antitrustlaw #healthcare #business #profit #patientwellbeing

Fee rates for homecare - the picture since April 2024. Yesterday, the Homecare Association published findings from our new research on, "Fee rates for state-funded homecare in 2024-25”. Fron 1 April 2024 the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.8% to £11.44 per hour, while the Real Living Wage rose in October 2023 by 10.1% to £12 per hour. Our aim was to investigate whether public bodies have increased fee rates for homecare enough to cover costs. Our analysis reveals concerning trends in the funding of homecare services across the United Kingdom. Key findings include: ➡️ The average fee rate for regular homecare contracts with local authorities/HSC Trusts in 2024-25 is £23.26 per hour, far below our Minimum Price for Homecare (£28.53 ph). ➡️ Only 1% of contracts met or exceeded the Minimum Price for Homecare in their respective nations. ➡️ The UK fee rate uplift of 7.5% fails to match the increase in the National Living Wage (9.8%) or the Real Living Wage (10.1%). ➡️ 6% of contracts have rates that don't cover careworker direct costs (£19.90 ph av), risking poor quality care and potential labour abuse. ➡️ An estimated additional £1.67 billion is needed in England alone to enable careworkers to receive wages equivalent to NHS Band 3 healthcare assistants (with 2+ years’ experience). Recommendations Funding and fair pay • The government must provide adequate funding to local authorities to enable them to pay a fair price for care. For careworkers to receive a wage equivalent to NHS Band 3, the required fee rate is £31.51 per hour. This will require an estimated extra £1.67 billion in England for 2024-25. • The government must mandate minimum fee rates for homecare to enable fair pay and working conditions. In England, careworker direct costs for 2024-25 are calculated at £19.90 per hour. Commissioning • Commissioning must shift from time and task to focus on outcomes. Payment methods must support greater security of employment for careworkers. • Local authorities must improve management of homecare demand and supply to ensure provider efficiency and viability. • Commissioners must detail fee rates by the end of February for the next financial year. Policy • The government must recognise the interdependence of funding, commissioning, regulation and provision of care. • The government must support implementation of the new workforce strategy for social care, with a ten-year plan to attract more people into the workforce. https://lnkd.in/ecq9tByD #fees #hourlyrate #homecare #commissioning #funding

Ranjan Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of UP at the 13th Healthcare Innovation Summit and Awards 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 ➤ With the increasing population and growing awareness, health systems now face a significant demand for more effective and affordable solutions. To meet these unique demands, we need innovative solutions. Technology and data-driven applications are becoming essential in improving healthcare systems. With the advent of AI and advanced technologies, the global health information system market now exceeds $500 million, while the overall health services market is valued at $7-8 trillion. Clearly, these advancements are becoming integral to our daily lives. ➤ From the government's perspective, we are rapidly moving to leverage this market, as well as the expertise and information available in the private sector. In Uttar Pradesh, we have made significant strides in integrating these elements. We now envision a healthcare system that is both technologically and data-driven. #EletsHIS Elets Technomedia | National Health Mission, Uttar Pradesh

The healthcare system in Italy is a fundamental pillar of the national welfare system, founded on principles of universality and equality in access to care.

“Labour and the Conservatives would both leave the NHS with lower spending increases than during the years of Tory austerity, according to an independent analysis of their manifestos by a leading health thinktank. The assessment by the respected Nuffield Trust of the costed NHS policies of both parties, announced in their manifestos last week, says the level of funding increases would leave them struggling to pay existing staff costs, let alone the bill for massive planned increases in doctors, nurses and other staff in the long-term workforce plan agreed last year.” “The Nuffield Trust said that “the manifestos imply increases [in annual funding for the NHS] between 2024-25 and 2028-29 of 1.5% each year for the Liberal Democrats, 0.9% for the Conservatives and 1.1% for Labour. “Both Conservative and Labour proposals would represent a lower level of funding increase than the period of ‘austerity’ between 2010-11 and 2014-15.”

What is the #NCAPH Act 2021? Establishment of NCAHP: The Act establishes the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) as a statutory body responsible for regulating and standardizing allied and healthcare professions in India. Regulation of Education and Training: The NCAHP Act mandates the accreditation of educational institutions and courses offering allied and healthcare programs to ensure quality education and training for professionals in these fields. Registration and Licensing: The Act requires the registration and licensing of allied and healthcare professionals with the NCAHP, ensuring that practitioners meet established standards of education, training, and competence. Setting Standards: The NCAHP is empowered to set standards for allied and healthcare professions, including competency standards, code of ethics, and guidelines for practice, to promote patient safety and quality of care. Maintenance of Registers: The NCAHP maintains registers of allied and healthcare professionals, which serve as a public record of licensed practitioners and their qualifications. Recognition of Qualifications: The Act provides for the recognition of qualifications obtained from accredited institutions and courses, facilitating mobility and recognition of credentials across states and regions. Promotion of Research and Innovation: The NCAHP Act encourages research and innovation in allied and healthcare professions to advance knowledge, improve practice, and enhance the quality of healthcare services. Enforcement of Standards: The NCAHP is vested with powers to enforce standards, investigate complaints, and take disciplinary action against practitioners found to have violated regulations or engaged in unethical conduct. Collaboration with Stakeholders: The Act promotes collaboration and consultation with stakeholders, including educational institutions, professional bodies, healthcare providers, and government agencies, to develop and implement policies and initiatives for the advancement of allied and healthcare professions. Role in Policy Development: The NCAHP plays a key role in advising the government on matters related to allied and healthcare professions, contributing to the formulation of policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at strengthening the healthcare workforce and improving healthcare delivery in India. The allied healthcare workforce is the Backbone of the Healthcare system. This Act will help standardize the quality of healthcare services across the board. This will be the first step in registration of #HPR in #ABDM for other than doctors profiles. The Healthcare Bridge was founded to structure the Allied healthcare services platform and we welcome this act. #healthcareindustry National Health Mission (NHM), Uttarakhand Government of Uttarakhand Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India PMJAY-UP (Ayushman Uttar Pradesh) Startup Uttarakhand Startup Mahakumbh Neha Goel