Home care has reached a critical point, according to Scott Levy, chief government affairs officer for the National Care Alliance for Home (Aliance). Not only is the pressure on providers unsustainable, it also threatens access to savings from home costs. Already, more than a third of patients referred to at-home health are unable to receive these services. Home hygiene faces a triple threat by deepening Medicare rate updates that have not kept up to the penetration of patient-driven grouping model (PDGM) payments, real inflation, and improved Medicare advantage (MA). Meanwhile, home and community-based services are in the crosshairs of the…
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NHS England has intervened in a changing room dispute taking place at Darlington Memorial Hospital, involving a group of nurses. In a planned visit to the hospital last week, the national body reviewed the current provision of changing room facilities and urged the hospital to make changes “with speed”. “We will not stop until this action is extended urgently to female workers across the NHS without any unnecessary delay” Bethany Hutchison It comes as eight nurses at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust have been embroiled in legal action with their employer over a transgender colleague using the female changing…
A senior UK nurse leader and academic has been elected to help lead a body representing nurses across the globe. Professor Emily McWhirter, a registered nurse and associate director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Leadership Academy, was today appointed to the board of directors of the International Council of Nurses (ICN). “We’re in a world which is changing week by week” Emily McWhirter She will represent the West and Central Europe region on the board, which acts as the ICN’s governing body, for a four-year tenure. Speaking to Nursing Times following her election, Professor McWhirter said she hoped…
A high-profile nurse leader from Spain, who has been elected to lead the International Council of Nurses (ICN) for the next four years, has spoken to Nursing Times about his priorities and areas of greatest concern for the profession. Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano was formally announced as the ICN’s new president today at the organisation’s 2025 congress, which is taking place in Helsinki, Finland. “We need to have the right staffing level… but we [also] need to know what our population needs” José Luis Cobos Serrano A registered nurse in Spain for more than 30 years, Dr Cobos has…
Tackling the “postcode lottery” of specialist stoma care nursing services, embedding bladder and bowel content in nurse education and the ongoing success of a project preventing toileting-related falls were all discussed this week in parliament. Continence nurse specialists met with campaigners and MPs during a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Bladder and Bowel Continence Care. “To my patients, the impact of not having specialist services is catastrophic” Natasha Rolls The group convened at the House of Commons for the first time since it was re-registered as an APPG and the meeting was led by its new chair Jodie…
Brightspring Health Services (NASDAQ: BTSG) aims to increase synergy across the service line by expanding its home care programme. Specifically, the company is considering expanding its line of injecting at home, primary care at home and rehabilitation services, according to Jennifer Phipps, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Brightspring. Overall, Brightspring expects the home health segment to continue to grow in terms of service lines and margins. “Our home health segment, we see good market growth in that area, and we expect it to continue,” Phipps told the 46th Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday. “We believe…
This article is part of the HHCN+ membership This week, my screen is filled with images and videos of Marines and National Guard members trying to suppress the Los Angeles protests, denounced the Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) agency's aggressive raid strategy. As people all over the US take them outside and condemn the ice and the Trump administration's approach to the LA protest, my attention goes back to the potential consequences of immigration policies in the home-based care industry. Finding enough caregivers to meet the growing demand is an endless challenge for the home care industry. One in three…
International health leaders have called for more support for nurses working in areas of war and humanitarian crises. At the 2025 International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress, a plenary session was held focusing on nursing “on the front lines”. “Health security in the European region stands at a pivotal moment” Margrieta Langins Margrieta Langins, nursing and midwifery policy advisor for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe, told the session about the “critical” role nurses had played in conflict zones in her region, particularly Ukraine ever since Russia invaded in 2022. She spoke about the work Ukrainian nursing satff who…
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has signed an agreement with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) to support the education and training of nurses across the world. The partnership will see the two organisations collaborate on improving, facilitating and accrediting continuing professional development (CPD) programmes for nurses globally. “We don’t get CPD when times are tough, and as we know they’re going to become tougher again” Howard Catton RCN chief executive and general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger and ICN chief executive Howard Catton signed a memorandum of understanding. Mr Catton said he hoped it would build on existing work…
Care sector leaders and key organisations across the UK have voiced a mixed but largely cautious response to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first spending review, unveiled this week. While the announcement included pledges to support the health and social care workforce and investment in infrastructure, many within the residential and nursing care home sector warn that the measures fall short of addressing the deep-rooted funding crisis and growing demand for services. Speaking to The Carer, industry figures stressed the urgent need for sustained investment, workforce reform, and long-term planning to secure the sector’s future. Professor Vic Rayner OBE Chair of the…