| 1 October 2025
The National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA) and Skills for Health have launched the UK’s first career and competence framework for clinical and nursing roles in clinical homecare services. Currently, over 650,000 people in the UK benefit from clinical homecare, which enables patients to live more independently while receiving high-quality care in their own homes.
Clinical Homecare patients receive consultant-led care in community settings, often ensuring optimum use of high cost drug treatments. Clinical Homecare includes specialist clinical and nursing services delivered in community settings. Many patients prefer receiving treatment at home rather than in hospitals or outpatient settings, driving a growing demand for clinical homecare services, which also optimises NHS resource use.
The newly launched career and competence framework offers structured career pathways for clinical homecare professionals, enabling employers to maintain high quality standards, support staff development, and enable growth of the sector and making homecare services available to more patients.
This career and competence framework outlines structured career pathways enabling employers to deliver high quality clinical homecare services, and support the development and progression of employees, and the growth of clinical homecare services.
Developed by an expert reference group of clinical homecare and healthcare leaders, the framework underwent public consultation in January. Rosemarie Simpson from Skills for Health, who led the project, shares her thoughts:
“The clinical homecare career and competence framework provides a vital industry resource, making competency transfer easier between providers. Clinical homecare services are critical to patients and their families, offering specialised care outside traditional settings. Expanding this workforce is essential to meet the increasing demand for services.”
The framework was commissioned by NCHA, which represents the UK’s clinical homecare providers. Elaine Neil, Head of Operational Excellence, Patient Solutions UK and Ireland at Inizio Engage led NCHA’s engagement and added:
“Standardising job roles and career progression is key to expanding clinical homecare services and meeting the growing demand, while supporting NHS care closer to home. This framework helps enhance service quality, stability, and resilience, fostering skills development across the sector. The framework has been positively received across the healthcare sector, and it will support more robust commissioning of high-quality homecare services.”