NURSING leaders in Wales have urged the Welsh government to invest in care home nursing and pledged today to work with it to improve the sector.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales has put forward a set of steps to respond to the challenges of providing safe and effective care in care homes.
As part of a programme of work on safe and effective care, the union drew on research and feedback from its members to identify the challenges of such nursing.
RCN Wales director Helen Whyley said: “The Welsh government’s strategic objective to deliver care closer to home has led to a rise in care in the community.”
The union said this means that when people enter residential care, their health conditions are at a more advanced stage and they have greater and more complex needs.
Ms Whyley said: “The government urgently needs to invest in care home nurses if it wants to deliver its strategy of care closer to home and to ensure that care home residents can receive the safe and effective care they need and deserve.”
About two-thirds of RCN members in Wales work in the community and many in care homes.
“This investment must include raising the profile of nursing in care homes, funded opportunities for continuing professional development and strengthening the existing legislation to ensure a systematic inspection of services,” Ms Whyley said.
The union leader voiced concern at the high level of registered nurse vacancies in residential care homes in Wales and the downward trend in the number of qualified nursing staff working in social care.
A Welsh government spokesman said that staffing pressures were being felt across the social care sector and pledged to work with the RCN to identify what improvements could be made to employment terms and conditions.
“We recognise the incredible role care home nursing plays in someone’s recovery. We are committed to ensuring people receive care as close to home as possible,” the spokesman said.
“Not everyone with complex care needs has to receive care in a care home setting and that care can be provided … in any setting outside hospital.”
