China sets 2030 targets to expand rehabilitation and nursing care capacity
In short
China's National Health Commission and National Development and Reform Commission have issued an implementation plan to expand medical rehabilitation and nursing care, with State Council approval. The plan aims for about 0.48 rehabilitation and nursing beds per 1,000 people by 2030. It also calls for at least one public rehabilitation hospital and one nursing home in prefecture-level cities with large populations, deeper population ageing and greater demand for these services.
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China's National Health Commission and National Development and Reform Commission have issued the Implementation Plan for the Medical Rehabilitation and Nursing Capacity Expansion and Improvement Project. CLS reported that the plan was issued with State Council approval and contains 6 parts and 13 tasks and measures. CLS called it an important document guiding the building and development of the rehabilitation and nursing service system. CLS reported that the plan was issued recently but did not give a date. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The plan aims for about 0.48 rehabilitation and nursing beds per 1,000 people by 2030. Prefecture-level cities with large populations, deeper population ageing and greater demand for these services are to set up at least one public rehabilitation hospital and one nursing home. According to the plan's text published by Jiemian, it also targets 0.7 rehabilitation physicians and 1.6 rehabilitation therapists per 10,000 people by 2030. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
Under the plan, secondary hospitals form the main body of the service network and primary-level medical institutions its base, with tertiary hospitals providing guidance and support. The plan encourages rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centres. It also supports private investors in running large-scale and chain rehabilitation and nursing centres to meet individual needs. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
The state will give priority to prefecture-level and higher cities with urban resident populations above 1 million. Building rehabilitation and nursing capacity in county-level medical institutions will be supported under a national programme to strengthen primary-level health care. Hospitals at secondary level and above will be supported in setting up rehabilitation and nursing wards or dedicated areas and in buying specialised equipment. Primary-level institutions will get portable equipment for home hospital-bed services. [ 5 , 6 ]
The plan's text also calls for more rehabilitation and nursing places at universities and vocational colleges. Physicians from other specialties will be able to register additionally as rehabilitation physicians after passing retraining. Medical institutions are asked to favour rehabilitation and nursing staff in job positions, awards and pay. The plan focuses on 'expansion, quality, balance and continuity'. It aims by 2030 to have basically built a service system that is fully functional, linked between levels, combines Chinese and Western medicine, and is efficient and accessible. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
According to Jiemian's text of the plan, it sets national 2030 targets for beds and for rehabilitation staff. It gives priority to large cities and brings county-level capacity under an existing national programme. CLS described it as an important document guiding the building of the rehabilitation and nursing service system.
Key facts
- The National Health Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Implementation Plan for the Medical Rehabilitation and Nursing Capacity Expansion and Improvement Project. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The plan was issued with State Council approval. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The plan contains 6 parts and 13 tasks and measures. [ 4 ]
- The target is about 0.48 rehabilitation and nursing beds per 1,000 people by 2030. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Prefecture-level cities with large populations, deeper ageing and greater demand are to have at least one public rehabilitation hospital and one nursing home. [ 2 , 5 ]
- The plan targets 0.7 rehabilitation physicians and 1.6 rehabilitation therapists per 10,000 people by 2030. [ 5 ]
- The state will give priority to prefecture-level and higher cities with urban resident populations above 1 million. [ 5 , 6 ]
- By 2030 the plan aims to have basically built a service system that is fully functional, linked between levels, combines Chinese and Western medicine, and is efficient and accessible. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The National Health Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission issued the implementation plan for expanding medical rehabilitation and nursing care. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The plan targets about 0.48 rehabilitation and nursing beds per 1,000 people by 2030. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- The service network is to have secondary hospitals as its main body and primary-level institutions as its base, with guidance and support from tertiary hospitals. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Prefecture-level cities with large populations, deeper ageing and greater demand for these services are to set up at least one public rehabilitation hospital and one nursing home. [ 2 , 5 ]
- The goal is to basically build a fully functional, linked, efficient and accessible service system combining Chinese and Western medicine by 2030. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date the plan was issued. CLS said only that it was issued recently, and the other reports give no date.
- Funding for the project. None of the documents give any budget or spending figures.
- The staffing targets of 0.7 rehabilitation physicians and 1.6 therapists per 10,000 people. Only Jiemian's text of the plan states these targets.
- The state will give priority to prefecture-level and higher cities with urban resident populations above 1 million. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- CLS reports the plan and its target of about 0.48 rehabilitation and nursing beds per 1,000 people by 2030. [ 1 ]
- Yicai reports the plan, including the requirement for public rehabilitation hospitals and nursing homes in high-demand cities. [ 2 ]
- 36Kr reports the 2030 overall goal. CLS reports the plan was approved by the State Council and has 6 parts and 13 tasks. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Jiemian publishes much of the plan's text and a separate report on priority support for cities with more than 1 million urban residents. [ 5 , 6 ]