Health
Care Funding set for Revolution
The potential costs of each model, as well as how they would be funded, will form part of the consultation into a way forward for the island.
Guaranteed free at the point of access personal and nursing care is one of two options to be researched if Tynwald backs further research into funding models.
A different option would see a mixed model introduced, with costs for the two ranging from £15.9m and £47.6m a year in the next two decades.
The new models aim to make the system fairer and more suitable for those who use it, as well as their families. Both of the two preferred models would overhaul the current system on the Isle of Man.
The Health and Care Transformation Team are now asking Tynwald to support two preferred models – the ‘Free Personal Care’ model, and the ‘Mixed’ model, to be further explored.
A ‘free personal care’ model would be similar to the current system in Scotland, where personal care is provided to people at no charge, regardless of their income or assets. This would cover any care of a personal nature given at home or in a residential or nursing care home, including tasks relating to hygiene, medication, feeding, bathing and dressing.
It has been initially estimated that it would cost the taxpayer an additional £24.7m per year if implemented now, £29.0m in 5 years and £47.6m in 20 years.
The ‘mixed’ model would be similar to the system in Jersey, based on a threshold and cap scheme, designed to protect the family home. This model would introduce a new benefit that covers care costs for those needing care, once costs have been paid up to a cap.
It is initially estimated that it would cost the taxpayer (via income support payments) an additional £8.3m per year if implemented now, £9.7m in 5 years and £15.9m in 20 years.
The potential costs of each model, as well as how they would be funded, will form part of the consultation into a way forward for the island.
Minister Lawrie Hooper said: ‘It was recognised in 2018 that our current model of social care isn’t fair, and isn’t sustainable. I made a clear commitment in my manifesto to start reforming this unfair system. The Health and Care Transformation Team have been working hard to bring forward proposals to understand how the models would work on the Island, and with the support of Tynwald will be able to focus on producing in-depth models.
‘Over the coming years I expect that nursing, residential and home care funding and access on the island will look fundamentally different to how it does today. I am hopeful that one of these models will bring a fairer and more accessible system to the island.’
