Do you need help and advice with Continuing Healthcare funding?

Thousands of people are paying care home fees when they are entitled to have these costs covered by the NHS. With the cost of these fees escalating and now on average £1,266 pounds a week (they can be significantly more), the entire savings of an individual can disappear within a very short space of time.

You may be in hospital waiting for discharge with a care package. You may already be paying for care and are not sure if you should be. Or you may have a loved one who has passed away and you think they may have been wrongly paying for their care. 

To find out more about NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, contact our Court of Protection Team who will be more than happy to help.

Is Continuing Healthcare means-tested?

CHC funding is not means-tested and depends entirely on whether a person has a primary health need and is eligible. 

Therefore, from the outset it is important to get an early Checklist Assessment. You are not required to disclose financial information before this.

The Continuing Healthcare assessment

The Continuing Healthcare assessment process has two stages:

1. Checklist assessment - initial screening tool to determine whether a person may have eligible needs.
2. If the Checklist assessment is positive, the next stage is a more detailed full assessment called a Decision Support Tool (DST).

If however you need care urgently – for example if you are terminally ill – you can have your assessment Fast Tracked (Fast Track CHC).

Circumstances where assessments may take place include:

• In hospital prior to discharge to a care home or even to your own home with a package of care
• In your own home if you are no longer coping and need support and assistance
• While in a care home if your needs change and more assistance and support is required

The process of assessment can be complex and involved.  Advisors here at Porter Dodson will be more than happy to assist you with the process and provide you with further information where required.  

How we can help

Our recent success includes an application for wrongly charged care fees dating back more than four years, and leading to a refund of more than £137,000. With care costs escalating, a simple call to one of our advisors could mean avoiding unnecessary care costs where care needs are complex and the responsibility of the NHS.

Contact us today to discuss your circumstances and find the best approach for your situation.