Care Providers to Cut Care Bills by Up to 20% for Families, Local Authorities and the NHS
A new social-impact initiative from Calming the Storm aims to reduce the cost of eligible care placements by up to 20%, without compromising the quality of care delivered.
Families struggling with the cost of care, as well as local authorities and NHS organisations responsible for funding placements, could benefit from a new initiative designed to make high-quality care more affordable.
UK-based non-profit and social-impact organisation Calming the Storm has announced an initiative through which participating care providers will offer savings of up to 20% against their standard cost of care for eligible placements.
The organisation says the initiative is not about reducing staffing levels, care standards or the quality of support received by residents. Instead, Calming the Storm is working with selected care providers to identify efficiencies and reduce avoidable operational costs, enabling participating providers to pass some of those savings directly to families and public-sector commissioners.
Importantly, families, local authorities and NHS organisations do not pay Calming the Storm an upfront fee or placement fee to access the initiative. Where a suitable placement is identified and agreed, the care purchaser pays for the actual care delivered by the participating provider under the agreed placement terms.
Making Care More Affordable
The cost of residential, nursing and specialist care can place considerable pressure on families and public-sector budgets.
Calming the Storm believes that one way of addressing this challenge is to look not only at how care is funded, but also at the operating model behind its delivery.
Through its care-provider framework, the organisation is working with selected providers to examine operational expenditure and identify efficiencies that can be achieved without adversely affecting frontline care.
The principle is straightforward: reduce unnecessary operating costs, protect the quality of care, and pass eligible savings on to the people and organisations paying for that care.
The initiative is intended to support:
Families privately funding care for a loved one;
Local authorities commissioning adult social care placements;
NHS organisations seeking suitable eligible placements; and
Care providers interested in joining the Calming the Storm framework and participating in the initiative.
Quality of Care Must Not Be Compromised
Calming the Storm says affordability must never come at the expense of the person receiving care.
The initiative is therefore based on reducing operational costs and improving efficiencies rather than simply cutting the resources required to deliver safe and appropriate care.
Any placement must remain subject to the individual provider's normal assessment process, availability, suitability, regulatory responsibilities and the specific needs of the person requiring care.
The level of saving available may also depend on the provider, placement, care requirements and other circumstances, with the initiative offering savings of up to 20% where applicable.
How Families Can Access the Initiative
Families looking for care for a loved one can contact Calming the Storm directly.
Email:
The team will seek to connect the family with an appropriate participating provider in or close to their preferred area that is accepting placements under the initiative.
There is no upfront fee payable to Calming the Storm by families for this service.
Where a suitable placement is identified, the family can discuss the individual's care requirements, availability, assessment and final care costs with the relevant provider.
Local Authorities and NHS Commissioners
Calming the Storm is also inviting local authorities and relevant NHS organisations to make contact where they are seeking appropriate care placements and would like to explore whether participating providers can deliver suitable care at a reduced cost.
The objective is to create a model that can potentially generate savings for public-sector commissioners while maintaining the quality and suitability of individual care placements.
Commissioners can contact:
Care Providers Invited to Join the Framework
Calming the Storm is also inviting care providers interested in participating in the initiative to apply to join its provider framework.
Rather than simply asking providers to reduce their fees, the organisation intends to work alongside participating providers to identify operational efficiencies that can help create the financial headroom required to offer reduced placement costs sustainably.
Providers interested in joining the framework can contact:
Applications will be considered against the framework's requirements, and participation is not automatic.
A Social-Impact Approach to the Cost of Care
Calming the Storm says the initiative reflects a wider principle: social impact and financial sustainability do not necessarily have to work against each other.
If care providers can operate more efficiently while protecting frontline care, some of the resulting savings can potentially be shared with families and organisations responsible for funding placements.
At a time when the affordability and sustainability of adult social care remain major issues for families, providers and public bodies, Calming the Storm hopes its initiative can demonstrate a practical way for the sector to work collaboratively.
The organisation is now encouraging families, commissioners and care providers to make contact as it expands the network of participating providers.
For care placement enquiries:Careplacements@calmingthestorm.org.uk
For care providers interested in joining the framework:framework@calmingthestorm.org.uk
Eligibility, availability and the level of discount will depend on the participating provider, individual care requirements and placement circumstances. All placements remain subject to the relevant provider's assessment, terms and regulatory obligations.
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