Continuing Care? - Plaid Cymru Autumn Conference RCN Wales Fringe Event

Published: 14 September 2012

Continuing Care? - Plaid Cymru Autumn Conference RCN Wales Fringe Event

In the last ten years there has been a real drive from the health service to ensure patients are cared for and supported in their own homes as much as is possible. The current hospital reconfiguration plans being discussed in Wales also emphasise this. As a result we are seeing increasing numbers of vulnerable patients from young children to older people with very complex needs having to be nursed in their own home. NHS nursing care is free at the point of delivery but how do you prove you need nursing care? Patients and families across Wales are often caught up in a distressing and difficult bureaucratic assessment process trying to prove they need nursing care.

In light of this, Continuing Care is the theme of the Plaid Cymru Autumn Conference RCN Wales Fringe Event which takes place today (Friday 14 September 2012) at 12:30 in the Studio of Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon.　 Chris Thomas, RCN Welsh Board Chair will chair the event and Elin Jones AM will be in attendance.

Tina Donnelly, Director, RCN Wales said: "The Royal College of Nursing Wales believes that care should be available after assessment, according to need, and should be free at the point of delivery. We reject the current distinction between nursing and personal care as artificial and inequitable. We would also like to see a review in the assessment of providing continuing NHS care. Our members say they are struggling to implement the two stage process for assessing continuing care health needs in a way that is transparent and fair. It is imperative that across Wales all people are assessed for continuing NHS care in exactly the same way and the unfair postcode lottery of assessments is ended. "

Notes for Editors

1. For further information, please contact the RCN Wales Media Office on 029 20 680717, 029 20 680732 or email: tracy.lenzy@rcn.org.uk

2. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nursing staff and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.