Community care reforms ‘could lead to wider use of home care’

A new report from the King's Fund has underlined the importance of further reform to the increasingly important community care sector.

The study has called for changes to be made that would reduce the complexity of community service provision and ensure home care workers cooperate more closely with other medical professionals to provide more continuous, joined-up care for those with long-term conditions.

This would involve building a new information infrastructure and workforce – as well as ways of working and commissioning – that would be required to support this.

It is hoped that this could reduce hospital admission rates, release resources for patients to be cared for at home and stem the growing demand for hospital beds.

Nigel Edwards, senior fellow at the King's Fund, said: "With the health system under increasing pressure, especially the hospital sector, improving the effectiveness of community services is essential – it is time to bring community services from the margins to the mainstream."

This comes at a time when the government is aiming to ensure more care services are provided outside of the hospital environment, with a particular focus on reducing pressures on accident and emergency departments.