Sir, – While your article regarding matching unemployed people with nursing home jobs acknowledges that there is a current challenge in staffing in residential care, it is important to recognise that this care environment requires people with specific skills and competencies ("Match unemployed with nursing home jobs, urges leading doctor", News, May 4th).
For example, nursing and healthcare assistants deliver expert gerontological care, while other staff such as chefs need a comprehensive knowledge of preparing meals which match specific dietary requirements, etc. Consequently, while some of the 700,000 people currently unemployed may possess such required skills, it is misleading to suggest that all people would be suitable. – Yours, etc,
Dr CATHERINE BUCKLEY,
President,
All Ireland Gerontological
Nurses’ Association;
AMANDA PHELAN
Professor of Ageing
and Community Nursing
School of Nursing
and Midwifery,
Trinity College Dublin.