NEWS RELEASE FROM THE
REGISTERED NURSING HOME ASSOCIATION
Issued 20th April 2004
NURSING HOME LEADERS ECHO COMMUNITY NURSES’
CALL FOR REALISTIC FUNDING TO SOLVE BED BLOCKING
Nursing home leaders today welcomed the Community and District Nursing Association’s recognition that more action is needed by the UK Government and the Scottish Executive to relieve bed blocking in hospitals.
The Registered Nursing Home Association (RNHA), which represents around 1,200 nursing homes across the UK, says it supports the call for adequate financing of services provided outside hospital.
Expansion of primary care services to meet the needs of individuals being cared for in their own homes is essential, says the RNHA, but it warns against trying to make domicilary care the automatic choice for all patients, regardless of their needs and preferences.
Commented RNHA chief executive officer Frank Ursell: “What we need is a well balanced health and social care system that is flexible enough and sufficiently well resourced to be able to meet the complete spectrum of needs.”
He added: “Whilst we agree with the representatives of community and district nurses that the solution to bed blocking is a financial one, we know from our own professional nursing experience that many individuals have health needs that require 24-hour nursing supervision which could never be afforded, or appropriately provided, in their own homes. For them, nursing home care is the right choice in terms of their health and overall welfare.”
Like the Community and District Nursing Association, the RNHA has highlighted major funding deficiencies in elderly care. Independent reports by outside experts suggest that many local authorities, which fund around two thirds of all nursing home placements, are paying up to around £100 per week less than the economic rate for the care provided.
Realistically funded nursing home placements, as well as domiciliary care packages, are the key to solving the bed blocking crisis once and for all, claims the RNHA.
END
Frank Ursell, Chief Executive Officer, Registered Nursing Home Association
(Tel: 07785 227000 mobile or 0121-454 2511 office or 0121-445 1861 home)
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