Lack of medically trained staff in Wales forcing nursing homes to close

A shortage of trained nursing staff in Wales is forcing nursing homes to close, according to Care Forum Wales.

Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, has called for fundamental changes to tackle the dire shortage of nurses in the independent sector in Wales.

He spoke out after care provider, HC-One, revealed two of its care homes in the Bridgend area were closing.

HC-One, which owns Abergarw Manor in Brynmenyn and Southmead Grange in South Cornelly, blamed “a national shortage of nursing staff” for the “very difficult decision”.

Mr Kreft believes many care homes in Wales are similarly affected by a lack of qualified nursing staff.

He said: “We know there are major issues affecting the care sector in Wales, particularly in care homes registered for nursing.

“The owners of the two homes in Bridgend have been quite clear that for them the overriding issue was the lack of nurses, the inability to recruit enough nurses of the right calibre.

“That is something that is reflected across Wales. It should be recognised that the commissioning arrangements make it very difficult to attract people to work in the sector.

“In Wales we don’t commission for quality it's more about price and we then work backwards from the fee that we’re given by local authorities and local health boards. Another important fact is that the NHS is refusing to pay for 24/7 nursing presence in nursing homes yet the Welsh Government regulations insist on this.”

There are around 20,000 beds in the independent social care sector in Wales and of those, 11,500 beds are for people who need nursing care.

Mr Kreft anticipates more closures of care homes due to the lack of training nursing staff meaning more people will be pushed into hospital care.

“That means we are sleepwalking into a perfect storm of rising need, dwindling resources and a recruitment crisis unless urgent action is taken.

“Hospitals are already full to overflowing with older people who do not need to be there. If this trend continues how many people will not be able to get the important NHS care because beds are not available for them,” he said.

Mr Kreft would like to see the independent sector being better supported to enable nursing homes to do a lot more high intensity work, with some more specialist services being developed, making the homes more like community hospitals.

In response, a Welsh Government spokesman said: “Health Boards and Trusts are responsible for identifying the workforce needs for their populations. The Workforce Education and Development Service works with Health Boards to understand the requirements of sectors other than the NHS, such as care home nurses. This is taken into account each year when pre-registration education places are commissioned.”

He added: “Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) will be working closely with HC One and local commissioners towards a planned move for people currently living in the homes closing, making sure that the care and safety of residents are safeguarded.”