NHS Continuing Care Funding
The funding is designed to support the full cost of nursing and care provided to individuals who have ongoing health needs as a result of a disability, chronic illness or a period in hospital. Patients who have complex and substantial health needs who receive care in their own homes or a care home could be eligible for such funding.
Age Concern have identified three main issues that are obstacles to accessing the money and have issued a guide to help people understand the issues. Many people with serious health conditions do not realise that they may be entitled to fully funded NHS care and professionals working in the NHS find the current system of funding confusing. Differences in the eligibility criteria used to assess people and how they are applied where a person lives means a postcode lottery still exists.
Two important legal challenges to decisions
surrounding eligibility of fully funded NHS care set new tests for professionals working in health and social care to follow when considering applications. However the underlying issue of inconsistency when assessing whether a care package should be fully funded by a Primary Care Trust (PCT) appears to remain unresolved.
A new national framework and decision support tool will be implemented from 1 October 2007 which will still be interpreted by PCT staff but it is hoped will deliver greater consistency to the decision making process. However the framework must be accompanied by a huge cultural shift within PCT’s to work towards eliminating the huge variations in access to funding that currently exist. PCT’s and Strategic Health Authorities need to bring about a change to ensure everyone who is eligible for NHS continuing care receives the funding to which they are entitled regardless of where they live.
Age Concern have identified three main issues that are obstacles to accessing the money and have issued a guide to help people understand the issues. Many people with serious health conditions do not realise that they may be entitled to fully funded NHS care and professionals working in the NHS find the current system of funding confusing. Differences in the eligibility criteria used to assess people and how they are applied where a person lives means a postcode lottery still exists.
Two important legal challenges to decisions
A new national framework and decision support tool will be implemented from 1 October 2007 which will still be interpreted by PCT staff but it is hoped will deliver greater consistency to the decision making process. However the framework must be accompanied by a huge cultural shift within PCT’s to work towards eliminating the huge variations in access to funding that currently exist. PCT’s and Strategic Health Authorities need to bring about a change to ensure everyone who is eligible for NHS continuing care receives the funding to which they are entitled regardless of where they live.
