NHS Continuing Healthcare

Its been in the press recently that its possible to claim from the NHS for continuing healthcare when a loved one is in need of care.

Has anyone claimed this and, if so, where do you start the ball rolling?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-pay-care.html

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

we looked after F.I.L for 5 years the last two years were the hardest on our time ,purse and family life , we thought about claiming but a friend of ours who had ,,said it wasnt worth it for the little you got . it was my understanding we had to let them know F.I.L. financial affairs.. He wasnt going to have any of that ..
I wish you luck ,C.A.B or Age Concern might be the people to put you in the know ..

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Watching with interest... MIL's GP has just told my BIL that it is unlikely she will be going home (she's currently in hospital). I assume he means nursing or high residential care. Feeling very despondent about the whole thing really.

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Enquired at the care home yesterday. They rang back and left message on answer phone. It's looking like a non-starter. Seems for this funding my mother would have to change homes. I wouldn't want that upheaval for her.

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Hello, sorry to hear about your situation. My name is Dan and for over 10 years I have run a free continuing healthcare specialist advocacy service for Age UK in Oxfordshire. We have experience of obtaining continuing healthcare for hundreds of people including my own mother.

Anyway, we have written a comprehensive set of guidance around NHS continuing healthcare called the Navigational Toolkit which is full of practical guidance around how to request an assessment, how to prepare, your rights etc. Age UK Oxon have set up a social enterprise called 'Beacon' to distribute the Toolkit nationally.

I would strongly recommend you download a copy from the Beacon website - www.beaconchc.co.uk or otherwise I'd be happy to email you a copy. Just to be clear - this is free and it has been written by Age UK Oxfordshire's caseworkers.

Good luck, I wish you all the best with this (and by the way - eligibility for continuing healthcare is not dependent on location so your care home makes absolutely no difference. Unfortunately most care home managers have very little understanding of continuing healthcare and give out completely misleading advice).

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Thank you Don for your information.

I've had another word at the care home and it seems, because it is not a Nursing home, she would have to move from there.

Her needs would have to be quite severe too to benefit from the scheme.

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Hello there, again the advice you are receiving is incorrect.

NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) is not dependent on any setting - that is a principle established in caselaw 10 years ago. If you are in a non-nursing care home you will not automatically receive the first part of the assessment which is a 'screening checklist', however you still can request one from either your Clinical Commissioning Group, social worker, GP or any other health/social care professional and they must carry it out.

Eligibility for CHC for non-nursing residents is certainly less common than nursing home residents, however, we have supported numerous individuals to obtain CHC funding in non-nursing residential homes. Care home managers are not the best people to speak to about CHC because on the whole they really do not understand the complexities of the criteria, nor assessment principles - I would recommend contacting the CHC department of your Clinical Commissioning Group directly.

All the best, Dan

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Thank you Dan.

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Cheshire Cat,
Where I work there are a number of disabled residents that are NHS-funded and as far as I remember, one was taken on by the NHS not long ago and he's been at our home for years.

I looked into this for my Dad some years ago but gave up on the idea when we realised he had the beginnings of dementia and would need care in a residential setting but not a nursing home.

I didn't look into this extensively though but I understand that you have to be pretty persistent or you could be fobbed-off - and don't be swayed by care home staff either! stevmk2

Re: NHS Continuing Healthcare

Problem is with all these 'Rights' and wrongs of claiming off the NHS - where is the money to come from? According to the latest news, the NHS is already struggling to meet the increasing demands on it's services, and tax increases, payment up-front, etc. will be the only solution in the future. If we have money available in property or savings, then I guess we should be prepared to spend it on our own or our dependants care in old age. This is the price we pay for living longer (maybe too long) and an increased population with often self-inflicted medical conditions.