MSE Guide: NHS Continuing Healthcare

MSE_Amy

This is the discussion thread for the NHS Continuing Healthcare guide.

TenaciousCapricorn

Well done Amy Roberts for your article on NHS Continuing Healthcare.  It is both informative and factual.  I work for Continuing Healthcare and you wouldn't believe the amount of people who get duped into using one of these claims companies who use the guise of being an advocate, but are just out to make money at the end of the day.  Generally they have no medical background or specific knowledge which qualifies them to understand whether someone is deemed to have a primary health need.  They are legal people in general and think by understanding The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare, that they can put up a good argument to secure funding.  At the end of the day, as you quite rightly point out Amy, an individual needs to be assessed as having a primary health need, and no amount of legal wrangling can alter the facts and evidence which underpins an assessment.  My word of warning for anyone considering using such a company is that they are expensive and are representing individuals, often via their next of kin, when they are generally at the most vulnerable time of their lives (usually in their old age).  As the article mentions, it is not necessary to employ anyone to represent you or your loved one going through the CHC process.  There is a lot of information online (check out the Gov.uk website) where you can find a copy of the Checklist screening tool, the Decision Support Tool (DST) and a copy of The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NUS funded Nursing Care.  Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, there is provision for the statutory Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service to represent and support individuals who lack mental capacity who have important decisions to make who have nobody available to support such as LPOA, court appointed deputy or close family member.  It's also worth looking into other charitable organisations to see who can offer advocacy services.