Paying dad's care costs 16 July 2021 at 8:16PM in Marriage, relationships & families 24 replies 1.5K views

MalMonroe

Hi, I agree with Pennylane, talking a lot of sense. 

There's a link here for the NHS continuing healthcare- 

https://www.continuing-healthcare.co.uk/continuing-healthcare-guidance/selling-property-to-pay-for-care 

There's also this - and I do apologise as it says it's for people with learning disabilities as that really is a very insensitive title, apart from anything else, but it just seems to be easier for when you need to read information quickly -

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/911210/Easy_Read_Guide_-_2018_National_Framework_for_NHS_Continuing_Healthcare_accessible_v2.pdf

Long version here : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care-public-information-leaflet

Your Dad sounds like the ideal candidate for Continuing Healthcare. You have nothing to lose by applying in the first instance. 

Good luck, I'm sorry that this is such a worrying time for you all.

crikaus

I will second NHS CHC is very difficult to receive, my father was on death's door still was not successful only got the nhs nursing care.

Also it took two years to get to independent review panel and they said he is case was not serious enough to go panel, so from my experience whole system sucks, and the objective of it all is to prevent anyone from receiving Chc.

fortunately he was looked after at home therefore the costs were not too bad and he had the care he would never have received in a care home 

also close to death does not automatically qualify as the needs can still be stable, however it's all speculation as we do not know the condition of the father, apply for it by all means and fast track if very ill. 

Pennylane

People saying NHS CHC is almost impossible to get ….. yes that’s what some doctors and nurses and even modern matrons tell you!  They don’t want you to know about it.
I was told by a Modern Matron who covers several hospitals in this area that “people only get it who are throwing their food up the walls and refusing to take medication”.

I can only speak from my own experience and that of a few people I have encouraged to apply and who have been successful.  As I said earlier my Mum’s GP said he knew nothing about it but when I provided him with the info, forms etc he was happy to do so and it was all very straightforward.  The NHS picked up the tab for all Mum’s care which was about £900 a week.  

I believe my Mum should have been getting it for a good couple of years before she did.  At that time she had been in hospital for 9 weeks following a seriously bad fall.  At the second hospital I asked the staff about it (I had just found out about it myself) and they said they didn’t know about it.  I persevered and spoke to the Modern Matron and she grudgingly arranged for a nurse to complete some paperwork with me.  I graded all the answers honestly, gave them to the nurse who then met with me a few days later and had down graded all my answers and said Mum wouldn’t be eligible.  Mum was still very poorly and I hadn’t got the strength to pursue this alone but I wish now I had. 

Don’t be put off by people who keep telling you that you won’t get it!  

elsien

I am happy for people to know about it. The more the merrier. I don’t work for health and have no axe to grind. 

 But they do still need to be realistic. We can all only share our own experiences. I have sat in a lot of CHC assessments and the full health funding is rare for most of the older people in care homes I have been involved with unless they are very physically ill, have serious challenging behaviour, or have complex needs of another sort. 
People also need to be aware that it is reviewed annually and can later  be withdrawn.  

That’s al I’m planning to say.