Letters

Published: 14/02/2002, Volume II2, No. 5792 Page 20

For those of us who know and work with independent nursing homes, the fact that they are not places 'providing only terminal care' comes as no surprise. Ali Zaatar's excellent article ('Halfway home', 31 January) demonstrates the benefit to patients of using nursing homes to provide intermediate care.

The Independent Healthcare Association has been looking closely at the subject of intermediate care.

Our assessment of the success factors in developing intermediate schemes in partnership with the independent sector is that joint planning, clear communication, commitment from GPs, availability of long-term specific funding and ongoing evaluation and review all play their part.

However, underlying all of this is the necessity for a positive attitude from the NHS to working with the independent sector and trusting it to deliver the highquality care patients expect.

Disseminating and sharing good practice like this is part of the process that can help break down unnecessary barriers between the NHS and the independent health and social care sector.

After all, meeting the NHS plan's objectives and responding to individual patients' needs will depend on using all healthcare resources available.

Ann Mackay Executive director of community care Independent Healthcare Association