Local authorities in England have been required by the Department of Health and Social Care to complete a cost of care exercise with care providers based in their area.
The purpose of the cost of care exercise was for local authorities and local care providers to work together to arrive at a shared understanding of what it costs to run quality and sustainable care provision in their local area. It is also vital for the council, as the commissioner of social care services, and providers to work together to shape and develop the local social care market and identify improvements in relation to workforce, quality of care delivered, and choice available for people who use care services.
Brent Council completed the cost of care work with providers in the summer of 2022, and submitted its cost of care reports to the Department of Health and Social Care in October 2022. In order to complete this work, Brent Council surveyed a range of providers to improve our understanding of the costs of delivering care in the borough. We were required to use the exercise to determine and report to the Department of Health and Social Care the median costs of care for the following care categories
65+ care homes
This covers:
- standard residential care
- residential care for enhanced needs
- standard nursing care
- nursing care for enhanced needs.
18+ domiciliary care
The council is now required to publish our cost of care reports for care homes and homecare, including the median cost figures generated from this exercise. The reports set out in detail how the exercise was completed, the strengths of weaknesses of the cost of care methodology and the details of the median cost of care based on the returns received from providers for the market as a whole.
- View the report of the cost of care exercise care homes
- View the report of the cost of care exercise for homecare
At the end of March 2023, the council will need to publish its social care Market Sustainability Plan, which sets out how Brent will support a sustainable and vibrant care market in the local area. This document will be available on the council’s website by 27 March 2023.
The official guidance on the cost of care exercise is on the Department for Health and Social Care website
If you require further information on the cost of care or Market Sustainability Plan, please contact Andrew Davies, Head of Commissioning, Contracting and Market Management on 07867 189371 or email andrew.davies@brent.gov.uk