Care Home Services
A care home is a residential setting where people who need care and support can live if it is no longer feasible for them to live in their own home. Care homes offer accommodation, on-site care and support services in a home-like atmosphere. In addition to this, the services ensure people feel safe, supported and engaged with life and their community. They provide help and assistance with personal care and various other aspects of day-to-day living. This includes eating, drinking and communicating. A care home will also help a person to maintain relationships with family and friends. Residents will also enjoy activities both within the home and out in the community.
There are over 200 care homes in Cornwall. These provide over 5000 places for people with a variety of care needs. A distinction is made between those services that can provide nursing care and those which are not registered to do so. Some may also specialise in catering for particular conditions. These include dementia, mental health or physical disability.
Care Homes Strategic Commissioning Intentions
In 2017, the Council and NHS Kernow worked together with local Care Homes to develop a set of Strategic Commissioning Intentions. These focused on improving the availability and sustainability of the local services by establishing a joint commissioning framework.
Fair Cost of Care
The Fair Cost of Care initiative was established in 2017 as the vehicle for delivering the joint strategic commissioning intentions, with focus on creating an aligned fee methodology and service specification for care home services in Cornwall.
Care Homes Joint Strategic Commissioning
Phase 1 – Interim Arrangements 2019-20
The Council and NHS agreed separate interim arrangements for 2019-20, with an aligned service specification and ongoing engagement about the future joint arrangements.
Phase 2 – Joint Strategic Commissioning
In January 2020, the application process for on-boarding to the new joint strategic commissioning contract commenced. The new contractual agreement is due to begin from 1 April 2021. The onboarding process has been paused due to the COVID 19 pendemic. Further information will follow in due course.
Usual Maximum Price
The Council’s Usual Maximum Price for 2019-20 will be increased to include inflation and the increase in the Living Wage Foundation Rate:
| Rate Category | 2018/19 UMP | 2019/20 UMP | % increase |
| Nursing* | £756 | £802 | 6.02% |
| Residential | £687 | £722 | 4.96% |
| Residential Dementia | £736 | £772 | 4.82% |
| Up to 20 hours of dedicated one to one support per week | £15.31 | £15.99 | 4.44% |
| 20+ Hours of dedicated one to one support per week | The Council utilises a Care Funding Calculator to calculate the placement amount | The Council utilises a Care Funding Calculator to calculate the placement amount |
* The Nursing Rate is exclusive of Funded Nursing Care and may be adjusted following the announcement of the FNC Rate for 2019-20.
Your views
The Council, together with NHS Kernow, are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to tell us their views. We want your comments on care home services that are provided locally. If you would like to provide feedback about Care Home services in Cornwall and their future commissioning, please do contact us:
If you have concerns about the quality of services provided please refer to the following guidance:
A care home is a residential setting where people who need care and support can live if it is no longer feasible for them to live in their own home. Care homes offer accommodation, on-site care and support services in a home-like atmosphere. In addition to this, the services ensure people feel safe, supported and engaged with life and their community. They provide help and assistance with personal care and various other aspects of day-to-day living. This includes eating, drinking and communicating. A care home will also help a person to maintain relationships with family and friends. Residents will also enjoy activities both within the home and out in the community.
There are over 200 care homes in Cornwall. These provide over 5000 places for people with a variety of care needs. A distinction is made between those services that can provide nursing care and those which are not registered to do so. Some may also specialise in catering for particular conditions. These include dementia, mental health or physical disability.
In 2017, the Council and NHS Kernow worked together with local Care Homes to develop a set of Strategic Commissioning Intentions. These focused on improving the availability and sustainability of the local services by establishing a joint commissioning framework.
The Fair Cost of Care initiative was established in 2017 as the vehicle for delivering the joint strategic commissioning intentions, with focus on creating an aligned fee methodology and service specification for care home services in Cornwall.
Phase 1 – Interim Arrangements 2019-20
The Council and NHS agreed separate interim arrangements for 2019-20, with an aligned service specification and ongoing engagement about the future joint arrangements.
Phase 2 – Joint Strategic Commissioning
In January 2020, the application process for on-boarding to the new joint strategic commissioning contract commenced. The new contractual agreement is due to begin from 1 April 2021. The onboarding process has been paused due to the COVID 19 pendemic. Further information will follow in due course.
The Council’s Usual Maximum Price for 2019-20 will be increased to include inflation and the increase in the Living Wage Foundation Rate:
| Rate Category | 2018/19 UMP | 2019/20 UMP | % increase |
| Nursing* | £756 | £802 | 6.02% |
| Residential | £687 | £722 | 4.96% |
| Residential Dementia | £736 | £772 | 4.82% |
| Up to 20 hours of dedicated one to one support per week | £15.31 | £15.99 | 4.44% |
| 20+ Hours of dedicated one to one support per week | The Council utilises a Care Funding Calculator to calculate the placement amount | The Council utilises a Care Funding Calculator to calculate the placement amount |
* The Nursing Rate is exclusive of Funded Nursing Care and may be adjusted following the announcement of the FNC Rate for 2019-20.
The Council, together with NHS Kernow, are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to tell us their views. We want your comments on care home services that are provided locally. If you would like to provide feedback about Care Home services in Cornwall and their future commissioning, please do contact us:
If you have concerns about the quality of services provided please refer to the following guidance: