CHC Funding

jackieD63_2

Back in February this year, my 84 yr old mum suffered a spinal stroke which has left her paralysed from the chest down.

This has left her and the family pretty devastated and confused.

She is due to leave hospital and we are currently looking for a nursing home placement for her. The cost for the nursing home care will vary between £1,600 and £1,800+ per week.

Although she has savings and property, the money is likely to run out after about 8 months.

She is very anxious and is concerned about what happens when her money has run out. She thinks once she is settled they will then move her to a cheaper nursing home and she'll have to start over again. We can't find anything cheaper.

We were told she could apply for CHC funding but when we enquire we get told she probably wouldn't qualify anyway.

Has anyone here tried to claim it? Did you succeed or fail?

How difficult is it to get?

Many thanks 🙂

elsien

It is very difficult to get full CHC funding. It is more usual to have the FNC top up paid to the nursing home which is like a nursing supplement on top of the basic fees.
Most needs such as support to eat, personal and continence care etc are assessed to be social care rather than nursing needs unless there is a degree of complexity putting it into the health bracket. It’s the effects of the condition that makes someone qualify rather than the condition itself.
there is a bit of an explanation here but the full assessment is only carried out if the basic checklist indicates it is required.

https://www.continuing-healthcare.co.uk/news/what-are-the-12-care-domains-of-continuing-healthcare/

Gonk1967

As elsien said, its very difficult to get it. My father-in-law was hospitalised between mid-September and mid-December last year when he was moved into a nursing home. He was bed-ridden and lost all mobility, he was still able to feed himself, but cleaning and moving required a lot of assistance.

The nursing home went through the CHC checklist and he failed so didn't even get a full assessment.

He got the Funded Nursing Care which did reduce the bill by about £300 per week, but even then, after the 12 week disregard, he would still have had to pay £1200 per week. Sadly he passed away within that period.

Are you looking for a nursing home yourself or going through the local authority?

Just be warned, after the 12 week disregard, they will expect the nursing home fees to be paid by your mum or she will have to enter into a "loan" with the Council which will have to be repaid once her property has been sold. We felt this was a bit of a rip off as they bung on admin fees and charge about 5% interest.

Albermarle

CHC funding is essentially for paying for hospital type care, but not in hospital.

You might as well apply for it ( and push for it ) but do not be too hopeful of getting if.

As said above funding for nursing care, as an add on at a care home, is more available.

elsien

You say you are looking at a nursing home but if she doesn’t checklist for the CHC then look at residential rather than nursing places to assess.

This will be cheaper, and is also whaf the LA look to assess when they take over funding - they won’t pay for nursing care if she does not have identified nursing needs unless there are no other cheaper options which can still meet her needs.

GrubbyGirl_2

Although she will be self funded before her money runs out I would advise you to talk to Social Services now and find out which homes they use and try and get her into one of those so she wont have to move again. As a private funder you will not find a placement that is "cheaper" because the reality is that private funders subsidise Social Service funded residents. If she is in a home that SS normally use then it should be a straight forward transition once her money runs out, though there are no guarantees.

By the way, don't ask them for recommendations because they won't give you those, just ask them which homes they use and do the checking yourself.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81997868#Comment_81997868

Even for self funders where the money may last a long time , it can be a good idea to apply for an assessment from social services anyway. If for no other reason just to get on their records for the future, and in some areas there are long waits.

stormCat99

I'd recommend the site below for some good free advice regarding CHC applications:

https://www.thelawyerandthenurse.co.uk/

Please don't get tempted by the likes of Compass that 'offer' paid services for applying for CHC, they cost thousands and you can do it all yourself with a bit of up front prep.

You do need to prove a 'primary healthcare need', as opposed to just social care needs. Take a look at the checklist form, it should give you an initial view of whether you think she would qualify:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63039a08e90e0729d81b854a/NHS-Continuing-Healthcare-Needs-Checklist-referral-form.odt

OldMan73

We found the free checklist on this site useful https://continuinghealthcareguide.co.uk/

EnPointe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81997766#Comment_81997766

for patients with Spinal Cord Injury to get CHC you are generally looking at someone needing ventilatory support

teddysmum

Would one have to have nursing care, as a user of insulin, besides 14 drugs and a B12 injection currently being done at GP surgery ? I often forget my afternoon items, realising when I am in pain, but too near the next dose, as I can ignore pain when relatively pain free at medication time. I have been on insulin for a month and was signed of by the nurses treating me, earlier this week, as I was doing so well ,but I messed up this morning, probably as a result of losing two out of three nights' sleep (long story). I did the pen's test at number two, then injected, but don't know whether I set the dial at 6 as whether I injected 6 measures or none, the dial will have read as zero . I also, only realised when trying to test the needle, that I had not taken the cover off it. Goodness knows how bad I will be in a few years' time.