NHS Continuing Healthcare
If you have a primary healthcare need, the cost of your care including accommodation costs if you are in a care home will be met by the NHS. Unlike social care this is not means tested. Please note that this is entirely different from the registered nursing care contribution with which it is often confused.
What is NHS continuing healthcare?
NHS continuing healthcare is the name given to a package of care which is arranged and funded solely by the NHS for individuals outside of hospital who have ongoing health care needs. You can receive NHS continuing healthcare in any setting, including your own home or in a care home. NHS continuing healthcare is free, unlike support provided by local authorities for which a financial charge may be made depending on your income and savings.
If you are found to be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare in your own home, this means that the NHS will pay for healthcare (e.g. services from a community nurse or specialist therapist) and associated social care needs (e.g. personal care and domestic tasks, help with bathing, dressing, food preparation and shopping). In a care home, the NHS also pays for your care home fees, including board and accommodation.
Who is eligible for NHS continuing healthcare?
Anyone over 18 years of age assessed as having a certain level of care needs may be entitled to NHS continuing healthcare. It is not dependent on a particular disease, diagnosis or condition, nor on who provides the care or where that care is provided. If your overall assessment of care needs shows that you have a ‘primary health need’, you should be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. Once eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, your care will be funded by the NHS, this is however, subject to regular reviews, and, should your care needs change, the funding arrangements may also change.
In our opinion it is a disgrace that many people who should qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding do not receive it and in many cases are not even told about it. If you need full time care and have a primary health need then you should be assessed. You should not even consider a move into care without first taking advice and second without an assessment to determine eligibility. You should ensure this step is taken before Adult Social Care carry out means tested assessment.
We can give you advice on the following areas:
- Guide you through the process
- Tell you what documentation you need in place
- Help you to consider your possible eligibility
- Help you prepare for the multi-disciplinary assessment and attend with you if necessary
- Help you to challenge a refusal of funding
