Care homes are struggling to provide quality care for residents with complex medical conditions, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned.
The college found a lack of funding, equipment and staff has led to nurses working in care homes facing difficulties in providing care for people, many of whom may have been previously treated in acute hospitals.
A RCN study found more than a quarter of nurses (26%) stated they did not have adequate equipment and medical supplies and almost four in ten (38%) of respondents reported a lack of staff to meet residents' needs.
The RCN's report, Persistent challenges to providing quality care, also warns that people are being admitted with more severe and complex care needs, but with inadequate funding allocated to meet these needs as both social care and Continuing Health Care (CHC) eligibility criteria are being tightened.
The report also found almost half of nurses (48%) said care homes are accepting residents in a bid to fill vacant places, despite the fact that they might not be able to meet their needs.
In addition, some homes have an increasing preference for self funding residents which would have implications for equal access to care.
RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: "Many of these challenges are not new, but following years of underinvestment these issues have now significantly worsened.
"When nearly two in five nurses say there are not enough nurses to meet the needs of residents, then you know that this is a worrying state of affairs."
The RCN has recommended:
• Re-evaluation of how funding is allocated to cover the needs of residents in care homes;
• National guidance on staffing levels and ratios for care home;
• A Government review of care home workforce planning and to ensure that this workforce is appropriately supported, trained, qualified and valued; and
• Regulation of all healthcare assistants.
