BEIJING, Feb. 29 -- China has issued a national professional standard for long-term care practitioners to ensure better and regulated services.

The professional standard, the first of its kind in the country, was released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA).

As a new occupation, long-term care practitioners refer to caregivers who possess basic life care and nursing knowledge and skills, and provide life care and healthcare services to individuals at places such as homes, communities, elderly care institutions, and healthcare facilities.

Long-term care services are now available at around 8,000 institutions across the country, with nearly 300,000 caregivers employed, according to the NHSA.