Reclaim Care Home Costs for Free- New MSE guide

Grinstead

I submitted my claim in September 2012 and received an acknowledgement from Walsall NHS. Since then they have made no progress. In response to my phone calls they tell me: they weren't given any resources to process the workload (200 claims in Walsall, 5000 in the West Midlands); they are trying to recruit a nurse; there is no timeframe in which they are required to process my claim.
Is this a common problem and is there any timeframe to which they have to work?
thanks
Karl

John_Pierpoint

Originally Posted by John_Pierpoint
Presumably dad has been claiming attendance allowance ?

mrcol1000 wrote: »

I thought that you had to be over 65 to claim that?

You are right, it is called DLA for the under 65s.
[Not sure what would be the position of my handicapped kids these days,
they were able to claim AA from aged about 2 until they went to school.
The test at that time was and probably still is "needing care to perform bodily functions" coupled with "being a danger to themselves or others".

sunsetboulevard

Started last year trying to reclaim care home costs for my aunt who died in 2005. Had to put all this business on hold for about six months after my mother unexpectedly died towards the end of last year and am only now trying to get everything completed and sent off. I am doing this on behalf of my father as he was the next of kin (he was her brother).

I contacted the care home who told me they no longer have her notes and that they are sitting in an airplane hangar waiting for destruction. That's really great, how am I supposed to know what her daily routine and care needs were in the care home without the notes! I suppose I'll just have to base my answers on what I actually saw with my own eyes when we visited her everyday.

Not that there is a lot to say about her daily routine. She had had a fall at her home, resulting in a stroke and had been brain damaged as a result of banging her head on the floor. From the time she was initially admitted into hospital until the day she died in the care home (it was only about 5 months in total), her daily routine consisted of bed baths, being PEG fed, no mobility at all, totally unaware of where she was and being hoisted from her bed to a chair. She required total care, as she wasn't able to do anything for herself. She didn't communicate with or acknowledge us, her family, for the whole time she was in the hospital and care home.

I have no idea what medication the care home were given her, maybe it was the same as the hospital gave her.

Anyway, this might be slightly off-topic but yesterday, whilst sorting through the medical notes from my aunt's GP and the hospital she was in prior to being sent to the care home I found a Do Not Resuscitate form. What? This is the first I have heard of it. We had given the hospital strict instructions (which are noted on her hospital notes) that she was to be resuscitated. The DNR order states that the hospital had not discussed this decision with either my aunt or us, her family. How the hell am I going to break this news to my father? It looks like I'm going to have to take this secret to the grave with me. My father is not in great health anyway and he's still grieving for my mum. This will be the final straw for him.

As a word of warning to you all, please check your relatives' medical notes whilst they're in hospital. Obviously the hospitals cannot be trusted in this regard.

Thanks for reading.

noelphobic

I am still waiting for my claim to be looked at (long story). I was under the impression that PCTS were due to be disbanded this month. Does anyone know if this is correct and, if so, who will be dealing with outstanding claims?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

John_Pierpoint

Jo101 wrote: »

I found a Do Not Resuscitate form. What? This is the first I have heard of it. We had given the hospital strict instructions (which are noted on her hospital notes) that she was to be resuscitated. The DNR order states that the hospital had not discussed this decision with either my aunt or us, her family. How the hell am I going to break this news to my father? It looks like I'm going to have to take this secret to the grave with me. My father is not in great health anyway and he's still grieving for my mum. This will be the final straw for him.

Who signed it?

I was pressed to sign one for my uncle in 2008 and said I would take it home to discuss with his other 3 close relatives.

Yes I did sign it, but only after a debate and terrific struggle with my reason & emotions.

sunsetboulevard

Hi John. There is one signature and that is the signature of the clinician making the DNR order.

John_Pierpoint

What sort of rank is a "clinician".

I don't think a forum is qyite the place to conduct a trial of a named individual, but I am in favour of responsibility and openness on the part of those in positions of power.

Somewhere I would expect there to be a policy on the ethics of life and death decisions in the NHS ?

sunsetboulevard

Hi again John.

There is a box headed 'CONFIRMATION OF DNR DECISION'. Under that it states:

Signature of clinician making this DNR order:

Print Name:

Bleep No:

Designation: SHO

Date:


John, I don't know what SHO stands for.

On the CHC form I'm currently filling in should I mention the DNR order at question 2.7 (or some other part of the form)? I don't know if the fact that the DNR order existed made my aunt's needs complex, intense or unpredictable.

Sorry to everyone for having gone off the main topic on this, I was just so shocked I had to tell someone.

Thanks.

antrobus

Jo101 wrote: »

... I don't know what SHO stands for.
....

Senior House Officer?

sunsetboulevard

Ah, think that could be it. Thanks.