With the unprecedented onset of coronavirus pandemic, the Government has recently had to introduce some immediate measures to be able to cope with the dramatic influx of hospital admissions and the need for prompt and efficient discharge.
NHS Continuing Healthcare Departments are being depleted as they redeploy more qualified staff away from the current roles in order to utilise their skills to help the NHS cope in key areas, such as hospital discharge and care planning. In the current challenging circumstances, we expect most NHS Continuing Healthcare Departments will be operating services at a very basic level, whilst they free up staff and divert nurse assessors to support NHS hospitals, and particularly discharging patients from hospital.
We applaud the NHS and all their brave staff, workers and many volunteers in these difficult and most challenging times. We pray for their safety and well-being.
In the meantime, the knock-on effects of coronavirus on CHC assessments, reviews and appeals can be felt right across the country. But what does this mean from a practical perspective, for your relative who may be in the process of being discharged from hospital into a care facility, or awaiting an assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding, or else waiting an appeal to a Local Resolution Panel Meeting or to an NHS England Independent Review Panel?
Inevitably, with some other more pressing priorities during these times of national crisis, there is already a noticeable difference as to how Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are dealing with CHC assessments and appeals. Nationwide, CCGs are adopting a more relaxed approach in their adherence to their own National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding and NHS-funded Nursing Care. Understandably, their immediate priorities lie elsewhere in the current state of emergency. But, then again, when did Clinical Commissioning Groups ever follow their own guidance to the letter, save where it suited them!
However, with the perpetuation of coronavirus, there has been a dramatic slow down in CHC assessments and huge backlogs are being created – estimated to be in the thousands per month. This will only serve to add enormous pressure on CCGs, who are already stretched beyond their elastic limit and can’t meet the National Framework deadlines for their existing workload of pending assessments and appeals. So, naturally, we are very concerned as to how they will manage to cope with the additional backlogs now created in the post-COVID-19 environment. The consequences of the log-jam of assessments and appeals will surely be felt for many months, even after life returns to ‘normal’ again.
We thought it would be helpful at this point to mention the Coronavirus Act 2000, which came into force on 25 March 2020.
This recent legislation covers many areas, but Section 14 is of particular relevance to CHC Funding.
Section 14 of the Coronavirus Act deals specifically with NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments. In short, it states that a ‘relevant body’ (ie the NHS or CCG) does NOT have to comply with various existing duties, including the duties imposed by regulation 21 of the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2996) with regards to its duty to:
(1) undertaking assessments of eligibility for the provision of CHC where it appears that either (a) there may be a need for such care or (b) an individual who is receiving CHC may no longer be eligible for such care;
(2) having regard to National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare in so far as relating to its duties to carry out those CHC assessments referred to above;
(3) carrying out an assessment of a resident who may be in need of nursing care (see NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC) below);
(4) comply with the Section 2 or 10 of Delayed Discharges (Continuing Care) Directions 2013 – ie the need to carry out CHC assessments or comply with the National Framework when carrying out assessments.
So, in effect in order to free up staff and vital resources, the Coronavirus Act 2020 relaxes the rules by relieving CCGs of many important duties regarding their obligation to carry out CHC assessments or FNC assessments, or even the need to comply with the National Framework in relation to such assessments.
Since our previous blog on the subject, NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding Put On Hold, there have been more developments. Here are some salient key areas that might affect your relative.
As most areas of CHC Funding are on hold at present, we have added some links to previous blogs for additional reading around the subject, which you might find helpful. Don’t forget – we have lots more free resources and information available on all aspects of CHC on our website.
1. Discharge from hospital
The most severe cases will receive priority admission to hospital.
Hospitals are mandated to speed up patient discharge, by prioritising those patients who are considered no longer in need of hospital care, and releasing them with minimum administrative paperwork and formality.
This will result in many elderly and vulnerable patients being ejected from hospital and being discharged into a care facility – perhaps not of their own choosing or preference, due to the rush to get them out of hospital and free up beds.
Some individuals whom the CCG considers may be eligible for CHC funding will be directed towards NHS-funding routes – but only once the COVID-19 emergency recovery period has passed.
Read our blog: Things You Need To Check Before Your Relative Is Discharged From Hospital
2. Interim funding
To encourage prompt discharge from hospital during the COVID-19 crisis period, CCGs have been given emergency funds to support individuals who may be waiting for an initial Checklist assessment for CHC Funding, plus an enhancement to those with existing packages of care, post 19th March 2020. But beware! These interim measures may only be temporary and you need to be giving thought as to what will happen if CHC Funding is removed and how your relative will continue to fund their ongoing healthcare needs. If your relative already had a package of care in place before this date, then that is expected to continue.
Read our blog: What’s new in 2018 NHS National Framework for CHC? Are you getting an interim care package?
3. NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC)
If your relative has been found ineligible for CHC Funding, then they should automatically be considered for FNC, according to Section 28 of the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2996). However, the CHC assessment must always take place first. That hasn’t changed.
FNC is a weekly sum (currently £165.56) paid by the Clinical Commissioning Group directly to the care home, as a contribution towards the cost of your relative’s nursing care needs that are provided by a registered nurse, employed by the care home.
However, pursuant to Section 14 of the Coronavirus, CCGs do NOT have to carry out assessments for FNC where an individual has or develops a nursing need, and so, these too, are currently on hold.
But, if a CCG does decide to carry out an assessment for FNC eligibility, then it must first carry out a CHC assessment in compliance with the National Framework.
Read our blog: Have you considered NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC)?
4. CHC Checklist Assessments and Multi-Disciplinary Team Assessments
The usual starting point to assess whether your relative may be eligible for CHC, is to undergo an initial Checklist. This is a simple screening tool used by the NHS to determine whether the individual should pass on to the next stage – a full assessment – which is carried out by a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) using the Decision Support Tool. The Checklist is not the actual assessment for funding itself, but merely the first rung on the ladder to see if the individual can move forward to a full MDT assessment.
Upon discharge from hospital, your relative is still entitled to ask the NHS for an initial screening Checklist assessment to be carried out to determine if they are eligible for CHC Funding.
However, as above, CCGs are currently NOT obligated to carry out any new assessments in the current COVID-19 climate and these will cease temporarily during the emergency period whilst CCGs redeploy staff to help with hospital discharge and other key areas.
In the meantime, any existing Checklists in the pipeline will continue to be accepted and held in abeyance for future consideration when circumstances improve.
However, if your CCG is willing to do an assessment, rather than being the usual face-to-face visit, it may have to be carried out remotely by video-call or over the telephone. Neither is ideal, but in the circumstance, it may be the only option available.
We recommend that you speak to your CCG to find out what arrangements, if any, they are putting in place to carry out CHC assessments in your area, and to make a diary note to follow matters up.
Read our blogs:
Getting through the Checklist assessment – avoid these common mistakes!
Understanding the Checklist Assessment
5. Three and twelve monthly reviews post-CHC award.
Ordinarily, once CHC Funding is awarded, a CCG is obliged to carry out an initial review at 3 months, and thereafter every 12 months, to check that the current package of care in place remains adequate to meet your relative’s ongoing needs.
However, in the current climate, and with reduced staffing levels, we expect that the frequency of these reviews will diminish considerably (if not cease entirely) and current packages of care will remain in place, unchecked and unchanged.
This has advantages and gives certainty and comfort to those already receiving CHC Funding, but it may be inadequate for those who need more funding to meet their increasing healthcare needs. The onus is going to be on you to push the CCG to carry out a review if you believe that the current package of care is insufficient to meet your relative’s needs. However, as above, we expect that such reviews will also remain on hold during the emergency crisis period.
Read our blogs:
Beware! Annual Reviews can lead to CHC Funded Care being withdrawn
Are you worried that Continuing Healthcare Funding may be withdrawn?
6. Fast Track Pathway Tool
The Fast Track Pathway Tool is designed to identify those individuals who have a “rapidly deteriorating condition that may be entering a terminal phase in their life” and shortcut the standard assessment process and provide immediate NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding within 48 hours of assessment.
The Fast Track tool is still being used for clinical assessments in urgent cases and has become a means of discharging individuals from hospital quickly with a package of care in place to meet their immediate needs. But beware! When the emergency phase is over, your relative may be re-assessed and have their CHC Funding withdrawn if their needs do not in fact meet the eligibility criteria for CHC.
Read our blogs:
How To Fast Track The Continuing Healthcare Funding Process
Let’s Talk Fast Track! Vital NHS Funding Withdrawn After 3 Months – The Latest NHS Controversy…
7. Appeals to a Local Resolution Meeting (LRM)
The LRM is the first level of appeal if your relative has been turned down for CHC Funding by the MDT or has had their existing package of care withdrawn upon review (see 5 above).
Some CCGs have advised that they will continue to process the appeals at local level, but rather than them taking place face-to-face, they will now be conducted by video-conferencing or by telephone instead, as with assessments (see above). Indeed, many LRMs were already being conducted by telephone even before COVID-19 and this saves both time and unnecessary travelling expenses. However, some CCGs have made it clear that all appeals – whether existing or newly referred – are being suspended until further notice.
Whilst CCGs are not currently obliged to comply with timescales set out in the National Framework, the normal 6 month timeframe to lodge your appeal for an LRM remains in place. It is yet to be seen post-COVID recovery phase, whether CCGs will adopt a more relaxed attitude if you’ve missed the appeal deadline. So, for the time being, we recommend that you get your appeal in on time regardless, just in case the CCG decides to take issue later down the line and refuses to allow your appeal. There may well, of course, be extenuating circumstances, but why encounter this scenario if entirely avoidable. So, lodge your appeal in time. The fact that the CCG won’t be able to action it for many months afterwards cannot be helped, but at least you can demonstrate that you have complied with the National Framework, even if they can’t!
We would, however, hope that CCGs will adopt a more reasonable and flexible stance in the aftermath of COVID – especially as they have been forced to adjourn, suspend and postpone most appeals due to staff redeployment.
In the meantime, we recommend that you get your evidence together and start preparing your appeal submissions as there will inevitably be delays in obtaining vital care home records, GP and hospital notes.
Read our blogs:
Know your rights – Appealing the CCG’s refusal to grant CHC funding
Rejected for CHC Funding? Part 1: How To Appeal The MDT Decision
Attending an Assessment or Independent Review Appeal?
8. Appeals to an Independent Review Panel (IRP)
IRPs are in reality the ‘last chance saloon’ for making your appeal for CHC Funding.
Appeals to an IRP are carried out by NHS England (NHSE).
NHSE are still conducting some existing IRPs that were arranged pre-COVID, but the appeals are now taking place by telephone rather than at a round-table meeting, and require the patient’s consent. Much really depends on the particular area, as most IRPs are suspended until further notice.
In the current hiatus, use your time wisely to prepare your appeal so that you are ready to proceed when current lockdown restrictions are released and appeal panels are ready to reconvene.
Read our blogs:
Rejected for CHC Funding? Part 2: How to appeal the Local Resolution Decision
9. Appeals to the PHSO
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman have also put all new and existing CHC complaints on hold for the time being where they involve contact with the NHS or clinical advisors, in order not to be a burden on the NHS.
However, over recent years, the PHSO has come to be regarded a ‘toothless tiger’ and hence, why the IRP is considered your last real opportunity of maintaining a successful appeal for CHC Funding.
Summary
As expected in these challenging times, the NHS are reprioritising their obligations, understandably putting those most vulnerable and sick at the top of the list and effectively much CHC services on ‘the back burner’ until the current emergency crisis is over.
It is inevitable that CHC assessments and appeals will now be delayed considerably whilst the NHS reallocate their valuable resources to cope with the current pandemic.
As and when life returns to ‘normal’ again, there will be a huge backlog of CHC assessments and appeals in the pipeline waiting review and an outcome decision. This will present a huge administrative challenge for the NHS and CCGs. In the meantime, without CHC assessments taking place, we worry that many families will be left to source alternative funding to pay their relative’s care – which is equally going to be problematic in the current financial climate, where jobs and finances are being stretched in all directions.
Sadly, for some individuals who are currently waiting CHC assessments, they will be waiting for so long, that their claims will transpose into retrospective claims instead.
We also worry whether the measures and resources that become available to CCGs to help them cope with the backlogs and deluge of withheld assessments and postponed appeals, will be sufficient to help those families in need.
We wonder whether the CHC Funding process will look any different when we emerge from the other side of this pandemic? Will it be the same as before, complicated, slow and frustrating, but now with even more added delays; or will a fresh and more streamlined fairer assessment process emerge to help CCGs catch up for lost time on the back of COVID? Only time will tell…
Here are some useful blogs and links for further reading:
Is the National Framework still working effectively?
“Health Service is chaotic and dysfunctional, says NHS Chief”
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Hi Jackie.
We are in the same position. My mother (93) just moved from hospital without notification just a phone call to my sister to say she was on her way to local care facility on April 6th. She was in hospital and was due to have an assessment done but this did not take place and has still not been done. Now trying to see what the
way forward is with continued healthcare funding . Having a meeting with the care home manager to try to get a handle on what they have recorder that my help with this process.
I also understand that under the current emergency her fees are paid.
I would be happy to let you know how we get on if it is possible.
In January, 2020 I had my mother’s CHC funding meeting. She scored sufficiently high, to be accepted according to the scores. The ‘psychological’ category; both assessors disagreed with me; I observed the psychological issues to be very high, they rated it lower. I have a Ph.D. in psychology, have worked in the areas of psychiatric nursing and taught psychologists, nurses and doctors. I have lived with my mother since 2002 and followed her through her illnesses, in her home and care homes. Neither assessor knew my mother.
My mother was deteriorating rapidly and with my background, I picked up signs of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD); I considered her to be in the late stages. I passed on my observations many, many times to all levels of staff to no avail. Finally, I requested a referral for a regional specialist in LBD and Parkinson’s Disease. I paid for the visit to be fast tracked and for it to be at the care home given my mother’s frailty. The specialist diagnosed my mother with late stage LBD immediately; effectively I paid £200 for someone to say what I had recognised, to get LBD recognised. The CHC meeting was just a few days after the specialist’s meeting so the report was waited for, and I was also able to provide knowledgeable, information about my mother’s LBD. Psychological symptoms of LBD include mood swings, delusions, hallucinations and rapid fluctuations in cognition, the latter mistakenly interpreted as ‘behavioural’ by staff which caused great psychological stress. CCG declined funding in February and I have not been able to appeal.
I decided to bring my mother back home for various reasons, one that Top Fees were becoming unsustainable. Two workers from a care charity, one OT, one social worker, came to help set this up. They spent more time with my mother than the CCG nurse could. I moved out furniture so the equipment could be brought in and then came COVID-19. My mother’s care home closed and residents were not allowed to leave! Finances came to a head; I am unable to pay the Top Fee but unable to remove my mother. The unwillingness of the CCG to pay for her care, given she met the criteria on the assessment form, is unbelievable. She is completely unable to move and very rigid (specialist commented on this), all autonomic functions are down, she has breast cancer, severe osteoporosis (two fractured hips), bronchiectasis and Oro-Mandibular Dystonia (OMD) which exacerbates dysphagia, leading to malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia. The OT and the Physiotherapist from the charity, both very experienced, were shocked at the decision. Since being in Social Care for 3.5 years my mother has had virtually no care from the NHS.
Hi Angela,
I sympathize with your situation. It’s unbelievably stressful for families to try and do the best for their relative, whilst fighting for CHC.
With your qualifications and the report from the Parkinson’s/LBD specialist, you have gained the advantage in moving your case to appeal. I don’t understand why you have not been able to appeal the decision ratified by CCG. Everyone has the right of appeal, so I urge you to submit this immediately. I also don’t understand why you are “unable to pay the Top Up fee”
You should not be paying any fee from your own money. If your mother’s finances are such that she is no longer able to pay for her care then a full financial assessment should take place and if she falls below the threshold, then she should no longer be paying the care home.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t appeal the decision, as you may well have a retrospective case to recover the fees that have already been paid.
Good Luck!
Mum has dementia & had been paying towards carers via the local council.
On 15th Feb, Mum was rushed into hospital with a severe chest infection. After 10 days, despite us protesting she wasn’t in a fit state, mum was discharged to a council ‘Rehab & Assessment Centre’. CHC wasn’t mentioned, & at the time we were unaware of it.
In the centre, Mum became very agitated, confused & very depressed; doubly incontinent & struggled walking.
After a few weeks, the Social Worker decided Mum was ok to go home. Again, we protested we didn’t think this was in her best interests but, again, we were overruled. On 30th March we were asked to take her home. Again, NHS Continuing Healthcare wasn’t mentioned.
Within 3 days Mum had deteriorated significantly. Neighbours repeatedly found her crying & confused in the street.
We convinced the social worker that Mum was too vulnerable to be at home alone so a temp place was found in a local care home at 8pm that night. Due to COVID, my brother & I had to drop Mum at the door & watch her disappear.
We both cried that night.
Since then, mum has deteriorated rapidly.
We’d asked the social worker if the CHC process had started. She claimed she’d assessed mum along with ‘advice from all the other relevant key workers’ & had determined Mum’s needs were not health care. I asked for details, but have been ignored.
Since then I’ve received 2 unscheduled calls from the local council’s finance team:
The 1st for an updated ‘financial assessment’ which they did unilaterally. Mum’s payments then increased by over £200 per month.
The 2nd for a ‘deferred payment plan assessment’ regarding mum’s house. I refused this until after the CHC one.
I’ve now got a letter saying an assessment of mum’s care needs has recently been completed by a social worker & that they need to complete a financial assessment & discuss the funding implications surrounding her property.
We’ve not been party to any assessments.
We were going to buy your book but assume it needs updating due to covid, so any advice will be gratefully received.
Hello Stephen,
You’ve come to the right forum, to get help and guidance and opinions from others who have gone through what your now going through with your mother. There’s lots of friendly, knowledgeable people on here.
Firstly I’m so sorry your mum is so poorly. The stress of trying to look after a family member with dementia is heartbreaking and exhausting.
To be sure that your mother has been assessed properly for CHC, you should have received written notification of the outcome of the Checklist, that your Social Worker claims has been completed. This will enable you to then challenge that decision with CCG.
You should have been part of the process and if you haven’t received a letter from the CCG with the outcome, then I am suspicious that a Checklist has even taken place. Demand to have a copy of it! You want to know when it took place, and what level each domain was awarded and more importantly who signed it!
Whilst it’s an incredibly stressful time for the family, you need to focus hard on the process that is CHC and the National Framework. It will take time to get to grips with it and understand the process, but I urge you not to be hoodwinked by those who are administering the process.
Without a proper checklist, then I would argue that a full financial assessment can not go ahead.
Good Luck
Mum’s funding was removed in 2018, we have appealed this decision and now at the stage of going for independent review. What I would like help with is this, sadly my mum has now passed away and the death certificate only says cause of death was dementia. An RGN at the nursing home has told my sister that by putting that as cause of death this will go against us for NHS continuing care. They will now not do a independent review and we will not get the the now retrospective money back. I don’t think she is right but thought I’d put it on here to see what other’s think.
Sue,
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your mum.
Well done for appealing! The RGN is wrong to tell your sister that!
CHC isn’t about a diagnosis or cause of death! It is about the nursing/care that your mother needed during a 24 hour period. No one can determine your mother’s eligibility through either statements! The RGN is obviously not familiar with the National Framework or deliberately signposting you away? I urge you to read everything you can about the Key Indicators of Nature, Complexity, Intensity and Unpredictability to understand what is required to prove a Primary Health Care Need. This forum is an excellent source of valuable information.
Once you understand the National Framework you will be able to inform the RGN that she is so, so wrong!
It’s people like this that are ill informed and unhelpful that prevent families from accessing CHC.
Dementia is a complex condition that manifests itself in so many different health and mental aspects. Research all you can on the subject. Dementia is a label that covers just about every aspect of a sufferers life and well-being. I am gobsmacked at such a flippant response from a RGN.
My mum was awarded Fast Track due to having been repeatedly ill in the care home since October, the doctor decided to put mum on palliative care, bless her, I signed the paperwork but the ccg office was already closed by the time it got there, so it’s on hold, I am really struggling to pay the bill now as my business has also been put on hold and I can’t earn any money with no bookings allowed. What am I meant to do? There is no end in sight.
I did speak to someone at the ccg, working from home, they said the care home should be patient for the money as they are a big business and can absorb the cost, yeah most places but the owners of my mums care home just have pound signs in their eyes. The bill keeps arriving, I am avoiding signing a new contract as they want me to do as Beacon, the ccg’s own helpline said that it would then be impossible to claim the money back when funding backlogs eventually restart. I’m sure the care home are fully aware of this however…. It is a beautiful care home, mum has been happy there for 2 years, it sounds like I dislike the place, it’s the super high bill I don’t like, £1250 a week, ouch!
Hello Sarah, I urge you to stand your ground on this! The Fast Track is commissioned within 24 hours! Doesn’t matter that offices are closed…..everyone including CHC and CCGs are working remotely, so to use an excuse that the office is closed is ridiculous. The Fast Track has gone ahead so the Care Home need to accept that! I would place the ball firmly in their court and besides which you should not be paying for your mother’s care from your own business and you certainly shouldn’t be harassed by the care home as your mother is receiving palliative care. You need to up the anti! I urge you to read everything about the Fast Track and then send an email to CCG/CHC – copying in The Care Home, with a complaint about the failure to uphold the NF in respect of implementing the Fast Track. Send the invoices via email to the CCG! You could also copy in your local MP. Be determined and persistent.
I’ve been in the same situation and know how stressful this is, but with the added misery of Covid19 I totally sympathise.
All I can say is keep the pressure on them!
Hi Michelle,
thanks for your advice, I have sent the 2 months bills to the CCG by email, no reply yet.
The business I run is Air B&B in my mums house, I decided to make a business out of it as my dad had already left me his half in his will and I didn’t want to sell it for the care home fees as so many are forced to do. I’m not so sure I made the right choice the way things are. It was looking good, I had the fees covered, until Covid hit. By then my mum was sick and should be receiving the funding anyway.
I will give it until after the weekend and then start complaining,
Hi Sarah,
Have the CCG commissioned the Fast Track? They should have? If they haven’t you need to up the anti and keep phoning and emailing them. Get your MP involved.
I still don’t fully understand why you are funding your mum from your business? You shouldn’t be doing this!
I am assuming it is your sole business.
If your mother doesn’t have the means to fund herself (I’m guessing that she does with half a house) then she would be fully funded anyway,
I urge you to keep reading all you can about CHC and the National Framework.
Again, I would be persistent in getting answers about the Fast Track from both CCG and your mum’s care home. They shouldn’t be dragging their feet, especially as your mum is receiving palliative care.
Best wishes
And then there is this
https://www.beaconchc.co.uk/covid-19/changes-to-chc/#2
No time frames adhered to, Ombudsman says NO complaints.
NHS says my mum didn’t qualify for fast track on a point? What? What point is that, the one where she didn’t actually die after the whole family had been called in to say goodbye and the Dr had prescribed the meds to make mum comfortable. She’s a fighter, my old mum.
I thought Fast Track was Fast Track for a reason, they have agreed to fund mum from June on a Covid19 emergency thing until a DST can be completed, this is all backwards.
When I 1st asked the Care Home before Xmas to look into funding, first they said, Oh no, your mums self funding, then the 1st paperwork they did was a DOL, then a check to see if mum was still entitled to FNC, even though by this point the SALT had been called in twice for mums choking episodes, she’s now eating a jelly stuff every 2 or 3 days and has back sores from being bed ridden. At least her heels are getting a rest, they had to order special boots to relieve pressure, none of this being MEDICAL of course as that would mean funding. The care home have blocked and hindered attempts to secure funding from the start.
Apparently there is confusion with the forms, yes there is, when a Fast Track was required you sent a FNC assessment, it’s not confusion its deliberate obfuscation. The nurse who was present had terrible english and all she could say was ‘My mums getting better’ WHAT????? Give me strength, oh lordy.
My husband was in care from August 2019 till 31st March this year , he was awarded FNC and was awaiting his 2nd assessment for CHC. The first assessment was shelved by the panel at the first hearing . I think they thought his nursing needs would lessen over the next couple of months as he was losing his mobility and appetite. He actually was extreemly poorly and died on March 31st. Can I continue with my claim for full funding even though he is no longer with us. I have invoices from the local authority for me to pay thousands I owe ( according to them. as they covered the bills pending the panel outcome) I strongly feel we should have been awarded full funding. Yours with thanks , Judith
Mum had 6 weeks in hospital and then was discharged from hospital into residential care under the COVID-19 emergency legislation.
Before that she had lived at home (home shared with brother who is on ESA and PIP) with a care package of multiple care visits each day and day centres.
I suspect that Mum will not qualify for CHC or FNC.
But (as far I can determine) the full cost of care home is being funded by NHS CHC under the emergency legislation.
Am I right in thinking that the costs will be covered until the end of the emergency period?
I can’t find a date for the end of the emergency period – any idea of when that might be, or when it might be known?
Is there any guidance for someone one in my Mum’s situation after the emergency period has ended.
I think it is probable (but not certain) that Mum will remain in residential care, and will be required to contribute from income, and if she remains in current care home (she was given no choice on discharge from hospital) a top up would be required.
Any pointers you can give would be gratefully received….
Hi Jackie,
I sympathise with the situation your family now find yourself in. The process of CHC is complicated and protracted without the added misery of this dreadful virus. Trying to get answers and information will be even more difficult…..but I wouldn’t assume that when this is over your mum won’t qualify for full funding. No one can decide that until the process of assessment has taken place. At the present time you can only wait but I would be documenting everything that has taken place since your mum was admitted to hospital…. to include times/dates/names of individuals you have communicated with……as well as the treatment your mum has received whilst in hospital. I know care homes are under immense strain right now and you won’t be able to have access to all your mums care notes but you should make notes of any communication you have with them.
You should have received the T&C’s from the home with details of how funding is being administered. This will give you the information you need to keep track of how the home is claiming CHC under the new Government legislation.
As soon as the home starts asking for payment you need to ask for the process of CHC to be implemented starting with the Checklist. This will determine if your mum is accepted for a full assessment.
In the meantime I urge you to make yourself familiar with the process of CHC. There is a huge amount of information on this website and lots of lovely people ready to share their experiences.
Good Luck!