References
Valuing social care in nursing education

Abstract
Over 40 000 registered nurses, working for 18 500 organisations, are employed in the social care sector (Skills for Care, 2024a).
In 2024, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that, statistically, there were more adult social care providers achieving a rating of ‘good’, and fewer a rating of ‘inadequate’ or ‘requiring improvement’ than NHS acute hospital counterparts (CQC, 2024) (eg 78% of all adult social care setting were rated ‘good’; 72% of nursing homes versus 62% of acute NHS hospitals).
Despite such positive outcomes and achievements, ongoing stigma and under-recognition of the high-quality, dynamic and innovative nursing delivered in this sector is prevalent and work has been under way to address this across policy, practice and education.
Over 40 000 registered nurses, working for 18 500 organisations, are employed in the social care sector (Skills for Care, 2024a).
In 2024, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that, statistically, there were more adult social care providers achieving a rating of ‘good’, and fewer a rating of ‘inadequate’ or ‘requiring improvement’ than NHS acute hospital counterparts (CQC, 2024) (eg 78% of all adult social care setting were rated ‘good’; 72% of nursing homes versus 62% of acute NHS hospitals).
Despite such positive outcomes and achievements, ongoing stigma and under-recognition of the high-quality, dynamic and innovative nursing delivered in this sector is prevalent and work has been under way to address this across policy, practice and education.
In summer 2024, Skills for Care and the University of Salford hosted a joint conference to explore the contemporary challenges facing nurse education and the social care nursing workforce, as well as celebrating the appointment of the first RCN Foundation Chair in Adult Social Care Nursing (Professor Claire Pryor). The focus of the conference was to bring together nurse academics and educators to ensure that social care nursing is part of the narrative of nurse education and valued as a strong and vibrant part of the nursing workforce.
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