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Social care covers many different areas. Support is given in everywhere people live and work, whether this is a residential setting, a person’s home, workplace, college or school. There are no restrictions on where social care is provided, and it will likely affect every one of us at some point in our lives. 

The type of care can range from short term, for example, supporting daily activities such as meal preparation, to the care of complex long-term conditions. 

Many nurses who work in social care are not managed/supported by a senior nurse and can be lone workers. This means they often do not have the clinical support and guidance so badly needed when looking after some of the most vulnerable in our society. 

Historically, there has been a lack of representation of senior nurses working in social care, but this has changed. In 2023, Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Social Care in the Department of Health and Social Care, set up Social Care Nursing Advisory Councils (SCNACs) across England to represent nurses working in social care. Specific social care research and higher education are also now being recognised though more work is needed. 

In Wales, the government is in the process of creating a National Office for Social Care. RCN Wales responded to a 2023 consultation questioning how the national office would relate to the chief nursing officer, and where nursing advice would come from. It also suggested a new role of chief nurse for adult social care. 

RCN Scotland has responded to the Scottish government’s proposals for a National Care Service by calling for senior nurse leadership on the National Care Service Board. It called for clear clinical and professional governance structures and processes with nursing leadership to be embedded within the reformed structures. 

In Northern Ireland, standards are currently restricted to nursing homes. Care standards for nursing homes, published by the Department of Health, specify that the manager of a registered nursing home must, among other requirements, be a first level nurse with current registration on part 1 of the NMC register. 

This item proposes that the RCN lends its weight to the development and support of senior nurses within social care.  

Support can be provided in a number of ways: 

• reflecting social care nursing in all RCN literature and policy
• recognising it is outside the NHS 
• working with SCNACs, regional and country colleagues to raise 
• the profile of social care nursing 
• ensuring sector representation on Council and in appropriate 
• specialist forums
• an RCN Institute offer specific to social care nurses 
• working with higher education 
• institutes and the NMC to ensure social 
• care nursing specialist practitioner 
• qualifications are mainstream and 
• undergraduate placements core to all 
• nursing programmes 
• supporting emerging work on advanced 
• practice in social care nursing.

The reading list for this debate is available .

References

Cornes M and Manthorpe J (2021) The role and contribution of Registered Nurses in social care: A rapid evidence review. Available at: https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/the-role-and-contribution-of-registered-nurses-in-social-care(43fbc335-cd77-4a67-ad13-357d5b5f8620).html (Accessed March 2024).

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (2022) Care Standards for Nursing Homes. Available at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dhssps/care-standards-nursing-homes.pdf

Ford M (2023) New social care nursing advisory councils launched for England. Available at: https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/social-care/new-social-care-nursing-advisory-councils-launched-for-england-03-03-2023/

Grant K (2019) Recognising the responsibilities and contribution of registered nurses within social care. Available at: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/resources/documents/Regulated-professions/Nursing/Recognising-the-responsibilities-and-contribution-of-registered-nurses-within-social-care.pdf (Accessed March 2024)

ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ (2019) Social care workforce in England. Available at: /Professional-Development/publications/pub-007998 (Accessed March 2024)

ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ (2024) A National Care Service for Scotland. Available at: /scotland/Influencing-On-Your-Behalf/National-Care-Service-for-Scotland

Trueland J (2022) Building stronger teams: Nurse leadership in social care. Nursing Standard. Available at: https://journals-rcni-com.rcn.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.7748/ns.37.9.19.s12 (Accessed March 2024)

Welsh Government (2023) Rebalancing care and support programme. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/rebalancing-care-and-support-programme