The National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA) welcomes the House of Lords’ report into Homecare Medicines Services in the UK. We would like to thank the committee for including us in this review process.
As a trade body representing 18 of the UK’s leading Clinical Homecare providers, the NCHA is committed to providing the best care and driving improvements within our industry. Over many years the NCHA and its members have contributed to this agenda. This includes creating and implementing clear standards and KPIs for our members, helping them to deliver a consistently high-quality service for the people who rely on them.
We agree with the report’s suggestion that the opportunity of clinical homecare is currently unfulfilled, and that there are some important issues to address. We support the call for an industry-wide review which looks at Clinical Homecare, partner organisations, and the structures around them on a national level. We would welcome the appointment of a senior responsible officer within NHS England, supporting full oversight and accountability for this essential sector of healthcare.
The NCHA is committed to improving understanding of Clinical Homecare. As part of this process, we will be publishing an industry-wide report in the new year. This project will provide new data and insight into the services delivered by our members and will set out clear and actionable recommendations for improvement. The research for this project was started prior to the House of Lords review. We welcome engagement with senior policy makers as part of this process, helping to ensure the benefits of Clinical Homecare are fully realised for the patients in our care and part of long-term health policy plans.