An overview of the challenges facing care homes in the UK
Intended for healthcare professionals
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An overview of the challenges facing care homes in the UK

Carol Cousins Managing director, Four Seasons Health Care, Belfast
Ruth Burrows Resident experience regional manager, Four Seasons Health Care, Belfast
Gary Cousins Resident experience care specialist, Four Seasons Health Care, Belfast
Eileen Dunlop Head of human resources, Four Seasons Health Care, Belfast
Gary Mitchell Research coordinator, Four Seasons Health Care, Belfast

Care homes are an increasingly important part of the UK's healthcare system. Despite their importance, particularly in providing care for older people with complex needs, the sector is often disadvantaged and overlooked by commissioners, policymakers and researchers. The authors provide an overview of some important challenges for the sector. These challenges relate to funding, education and research, overseas staff, career pathways and staff recruitment and retention.

They conclude that recruitment and retention of registered nurses is arguably the greatest challenge, as high staff turnover is the catalyst for other challenges identified.

The care home sector should be considered as equal to hospitals, community settings and hospices. Care homes offer registered nurses many opportunities for development of clinical and organisational skills.

Nursing Older People. 28, 9, 18-21. doi: 10.7748/nop.2016.e817

Correspondence

Gary.mitchell@fshc.co.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 05 March 2016

Accepted: 29 June 2016

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