Here, in this section of the web site, you will find copies of the following policy briefings issued by the RNHA. To view a briefing, click on the title or on the front page displayed below.

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This briefing argues for standards of care which are based on positive outcomes for patients rather than on the application of bureaucratic rules. It suggests a number of key principles which should underpin care standards.

This briefing looks at the role which nursing homes could play in delivering the Government?s call for greater partnership working between the public and private health sectors.

In particular, it looks at the vision for ?intermediate care? as outlined
in the NHS Plan, and argues that individuals should have a choice of the setting in which they wish to be cared for.

This briefing, published in the run up to the last general election, describes the mounting crisis of elderly care and asks what action will be taken to tackle it. It explains the ?knock on? effects - for the NHS, for local authorities and for patients - of the continuing decline
in the number of nursing home places available in the UK.

This briefing argues that people?s nursing needs should always be assessed by a qualified nurse because nurses are trained to take a holistic view. This, it argues, will help to ensure the right placement in the right nursing home for the right person.

This briefing reviews the some of the current problems affecting the delivery of an efficient health care system for older people. It links
delayed discharges in acute hospitals with the sharp decline in nursing home places over recent years and calls for urgent action to establish a realistic level of fees for publicly funded nursing
home patients.