Reclaim Care Home Costs for Free- New MSE guide

Options
1…1819212324…46

Comments

  • Doc_N
    Doc_N Posts: 8,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Photogenic First Anniversary
    Options
    noelphobic wrote: »
    No, I haven't heard from them. I filled in the online form on Thursday so it's nearly a week now. I realise that they are probably busy because of the September deadline but they have been dealing with cases like this for quite some time. Their website says that they will be in touch within 24 hours and they shouldn't promise that if they can't deliver.

    I would also be interested in hearing about other solicitors. We started out appeal nearly 2 years ago and I wish I had found a a solicitor then as it might have been sorted by now.

    Thanks - that's interesting. Hugh James are trying to put the blame onto PCTs and potential clients for leaving it so late in the day (as they put it to me).

    I'm not overly impressed by a large firm of solicitors like Hugh James blaming other people for a situation which they themselves ought to have foreseen.

    I'm looking for another firm too - I don't have much confidence in the ability of Hugh James to cope with large numbers of claims after this very poor start.
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    Doc_N wrote: »
    Have you heard from Hugh James yet?

    I have to say that my dealings with them so far have been absolutely awful - they've managed to lose the information they were given, and all they can do is come up with excuse after excuse about being inundated with work.

    I noticed in your post just over a week ago that you were considering contacting Hugh James. Have you now spoken to them?
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
  • Doc_N
    Doc_N Posts: 8,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Photogenic First Anniversary
    Options
    noelphobic wrote: »
    I noticed in your post just over a week ago that you were considering contacting Hugh James. Have you now spoken to them?

    Yes - I did speak to them more than a week ago and they promised to send a claim form. They also took all the relevant information in quite some detail.

    Nothing ever arrived in the post, despite their saying over the phone that they'd send it immediately, and they now say they've lost the information I gave them.

    It's not their fault, of course - that was made very clear. It's the fault of the PCTs for not publicising the deadline sooner, and the fault of their potential clients for leaving it so late in the day. They say they've been swamped with claims, and it's hardly their fault! :rotfl:

    I've now lost any confidence I had in their ability to handle these claims. If Hugh James can't even cope with basic information gathering, what hope is there for handling the actual claims? :(
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    Doc_N wrote: »
    Thanks - that's interesting. Hugh James are trying to put the blame onto PCTs and potential clients for leaving it so late in the day (as they put it to me).

    I'm not overly impressed by a large firm of solicitors like Hugh James blaming other people for a situation which they themselves ought to have foreseen.

    I'm looking for another firm too - I don't have much confidence in the ability of Hugh James to cope with large numbers of claims after this very poor start.

    My timing is awful! If I had contacted a solicitor when I started the appeal they would have been much less busy. Now it's going to be a case of finding a solicitor and hoping they give the case enough attention if they have a large workload.

    I originally wanted to do it myself without a solicitor but it stresses me out to even think about it. To add insult to injury the PCT have said they have to deal with newer cases first because of this deadline and ours 'should' be looked at by next April! I know they did start the process of obtaining copies of the records because one of the care homes told us - that was the care home that had shredded the records, so neither ourselves or the PCT have got copies from them.
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
  • tinkerbellkirst
    tinkerbellkirst Posts: 109 Forumite
    Options
    Ok, ther process is now starting for us, i posted earlier about my grandad.

    I showed my mum the checklist and after looking at it she said she believes he would score 3 A's and 5 B's she cares for him daily so knows him probably the best of all (bar my grandma).

    So just a little question, she has written a letter requesting an assessment for my grandad to the local PCT she has contacted a woman there who gave her the adress and her name Etc, she is called again tomorrow to just clarify she has everything she needs in the letter. Is this all we need to start the process, seeing as the deadline is Friday we want to make sure we have everything we need. I am going to hand deliver the letter tomorrow, i will ask for some kind of reciept for them recieving it.

    My mum doesnt believe he has ever had an assessment except from the first time he was discharged from hospital around Oct 2009, but we do not think his health would have been bad enough to qualify then, we are looking more from mid-late 2011 when his health rapidly deteriorated.

    My mum has been present during all of his hospital stays and every time he has been discharged and has never again seen him be assessed.

    We are preparing ourselves for battle, so i may be here a lot :) And hopefully further down the process i can help others too!

    Kirsty
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    tinkerbellkirst wrote: »
    Ok, ther process is now starting for us, i posted earlier about my grandad.

    I showed my mum the checklist and after looking at it she said she believes he would score 3 A's and 5 B's she cares for him daily so knows him probably the best of all (bar my grandma).

    So just a little question, she has written a letter requesting an assessment for my grandad to the local PCT she has contacted a woman there who gave her the adress and her name Etc, she is called again tomorrow to just clarify she has everything she needs in the letter. Is this all we need to start the process, seeing as the deadline is Friday we want to make sure we have everything we need. I am going to hand deliver the letter tomorrow, i will ask for some kind of reciept for them recieving it.

    My mum doesnt believe he has ever had an assessment except from the first time he was discharged from hospital around Oct 2009, but we do not think his health would have been bad enough to qualify then, we are looking more from mid-late 2011 when his health rapidly deteriorated.

    My mum has been present during all of his hospital stays and every time he has been discharged and has never again seen him be assessed.

    We are preparing ourselves for battle, so i may be here a lot :) And hopefully further down the process i can help others too!

    Kirsty

    a letter should be sufficient. Just make sure it is made clear that you are not just requesting he is assessed on his current condition and needs but that you want to claim back to the date when you believe he should first have been entitled to fully funded care.
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
  • monkeyspanner
    monkeyspanner Posts: 2,124 Forumite
    Options
    caper7 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I have come to this very late (today) and am panicking a little, here is a brief description of my father's situation:

    My father was a London borough of Haringey resident when he initially began to deteriorate in May 2006 and was given a place in a flat in Haringey supposedly for a month in order to give me some respite.
    However he deteriorated very badly upon moving and ended up being admitted to hospital eight times in six months due to falls.
    Haringey social workers and I decided he required round the clock care and I found him a private residential care home.
    He spent approximately a year and a half at this home from January 2007 to June 2008, till it closed down.
    He was then moved to another private residential care home for approximately six months.
    My father was in the end admitted to hospital for a five month period, he was assessed there for continuing care and he was found eligible so was moved this time to a nursing home, where he died three weeks later.
    This was the first time I heard of continuing care and the first time I was aware of him being assessed for it.

    Upshot is that the the first two care homes were paid for in full by my father and these are the fees I would like to try and claim back.

    My question is, and apologies if this has already been covered, is sending an email to the PCT saying I want to make a claim sufficient before the 30 September deadline? Or does the long application form on the NHS website also have to be in by the 30th?

    Also, the two care homes were in two different PCT's and the story started in a third PCT, do I email all 3?

    Any help appreciated.

    Could you post a link to the form you have found or PM me with tthe link? I would contact all PCT involved in your dads case informing them you wish to have a retrospective review of the case.
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    monkeyspanner wrote: »
    Yes any contribution from pension should be refunded. However, attendance allowance (which is payable to self funders) paid from 28days after CHC granted would have to be refunded. So the affect would be largely neutral.

    that's a good point but presumably the attendance allowance would be owed to the DWP rather than the PCT. Would they actually come after you for that or would you be expected to go to them and offer to pay it back?
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    monkeyspanner wrote: »
    Could you post a link to the form you have found or PM me with tthe link? I would contact all PCT involved in your dads case informing them you wish to have a retrospective review of the case.

    I would also be interested in seeing this form. I'm wondering whether it is specific to one PCT rather than claims for any PCT.
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
  • noelphobic
    noelphobic Posts: 2,297 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited 27 September 2012 at 1:49PM
    Options
    I filled in a form on the Hugh James website last Thursday. According to the information on there they would ring me within 24 hours. I have still not had a phone call. However, I received a letter dated 25th September. According to the (obviously standard) letter, 'as discussed on the telephone, we have taken steps to register your claim but now require the questionnaire to be completed so that we can advise you. Please return the questionnaire to us within 21 days.'

    Erm, no, that's not correct! I have not spoken to anyone from Hugh James on the phone and not authorised them to register my claim. I registered the claim myself nearly 2 years ago.

    I'm not at all impressed with them so far. I wil fill the form in and send it back just to see what they say but am definitely going to investigate further options. If anyone can recommend another firm (or advise against any firms) on here or by PM then I would be really grateful to hear from them.
    3 stone down, 3 more to go
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards