A body which represents care organisations on the Isle of Wight has accused the council of trying to 'underfund' the sector by offering providers a 'disappointing' uplift in fees.

But the Isle of Wight Council has said it has had no such correspondence, and plans to hold a consultation later this week.

The authority pays money to independent organisations so they are able to provide care. The fees are reviewed annually.

The Isle of Wight Care Partnership claims providers have been offered a rise but it "does not reflect the true fair cost of care and fails to consider wage increases for all staff".

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Ian Bennett, Residential Director of the Isle of Wight Care Partnership, said: "It is incredibly disappointing that the council has proposed such a small increase in fees, particularly given the challenging financial position of the care home sector on the Isle of Wight.

"The proposed increases do not reflect the true fair cost of care and fail to consider wage increases for all staff, not just those on minimum wage."

"Underfunding the care home sector could have a negative impact on the availability of beds, particularly at a time when the NHS is facing significant pressures.

"Care homes are currently 96 per cent occupied, and if we cannot attract and retain staff due to low wages, it will have a knock-on effect on the wider health and social care system."

The partnership has called for further conversations with the Isle of Wight Council as part of a negotiation.

It is urging the authority to reconsider their proposed fee uplift and engage in further dialogue.

A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council said: "We have had no correspondence from the Isle of Wight Care Partnership in relation to the councils proposed fee uplift for 2023/2024 since we contacted all local providers by letter, with our proposal.

"The letter to providers outlining the proposal also offered the opportunity for providers to attend a consultation meeting which is scheduled to take place later this week.

"Until our discussions with providers have taken place it would not be appropriate to discuss further.”