A pioneering national rehabilitation facility has opened in Nottinghamshire, aiming to transform how the NHS supports patients recovering from serious injuries and illnesses. The £105m National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), managed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, features 70 beds and an expert workforce equivalent to 200 full-time staff. Designed as a model for future NHS rehabilitation services, it offers intensive physical, psychological and cognitive therapies to help patients regain independence and return to work.

Led by director Miriam Duffy, a former physiotherapist, the project represents over a decade of development. She described the centre as marking a new era for recovery care, highlighting the shortage of NHS rehabilitation capacity. The NRC brings together physiotherapists, occupational and speech therapists, with family involvement central to treatment plans aimed at long-term reintegration into daily life.

Located alongside the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall, patients can also access cutting-edge facilities, including virtual reality rehabilitation technology, hydrotherapy pools and motion-testing environments. The partnership allows NHS patients to benefit from advanced military rehabilitation expertise and equipment.

The initiative was originally championed by the late Duke of Westminster, whose charitable foundation provided the estate and significant funding. Supported by the Black Stork Charity, the NRC is intended to revolutionise NHS rehabilitation and influence national standards for recovery care and research.

England’s adult social care industry contributed an estimated £77.8 billion to the economy in 2024/25, marking a new high according to Skills for Care’s latest State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce report. Employment in the sector grew by 3.4% to 1.6 million filled posts, while the total number of roles increased by 2.2%, underlining its expanding role as a key public service and economic driver.

The increase is largely attributed to improved staffing levels and the uplift in the National Living Wage, which has helped raise average pay. Although vacancy rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels at 7%, recruitment and retention remain persistent challenges. Domestic employment fell by 30,000, while international recruitment dropped by over half to 50,000, sparking calls for a stronger homegrown workforce strategy.

Turnover in the independent sector eased to 24.7%, and the number of men in the workforce rose to a record 22%. However, only 38% of care workers now hold a Level 2 qualification, while many employers still lack enhanced sick pay or pension benefits—factors linked to higher staff departures.

Skills for Care and NHS leaders have stressed the need for better pay, training, and job quality to strengthen the workforce ahead of rising demand. The sector is projected to require 470,000 additional roles by 2040 to meet the needs of an ageing population.