Posted on: December 1st, 2023 by Amy
Beacon is developing a web space with dedicated resources for health and social care professionals who work within the complex field of NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). To help us develop resources which will offer the most support, we would be grateful if you would fill in this short survey relating to your work within CHC. We expect this survey to take around 10 minutes to complete, but you should feel free to contribute as much or as little time as you like. All responses are submitted anonymously. Click here to complete the survey. Please share this …read more
Posted on: August 31st, 2023 by Amy
Image courtesy of Elliot Manches via the Centre for Ageing Better age-positive image library In this article we outline the grounds on which you can appeal a decision about eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. This may help you to decide whether to launch a challenge. Every year, thousands of people are assessed for NHS funding for long-term care, called NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). According to the National Audit Office, around two-thirds of assessments conclude that the person is not eligible for funding. This can be a huge blow to individuals and their families, and often …read more
Posted on: August 8th, 2023 by Amy
Image courtesy of the Centre for Ageing Better age-positive image library Here at Beacon we hear from people across the country on a daily basis. They contact us for information, support and representation, and by talking to these individuals we also become aware of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) patterns and trends nationwide. Recently we are picking up on a number of instances of CHC referrals not being made, for reasons including: A lack of awareness of the set criteria amongst health and social care professionals and referrers, and when a referral should be made CHC teams within …read more
Posted on: August 8th, 2023 by Amy
Image: Family photo shared via the BBC On Monday 7 August the BBC ran a multi-platform news story regarding NHS Continuing Healthcare, which as experts in CHC Beacon was asked to contribute to. Through a long-form web article and additional radio and television coverage including the Today programme, BBC Breakfast and BBC News at Six the report emphasised that despite recent significant increases in spending on Continuing Healthcare, staff shortages and rising prices have meant that families of people with complex medical needs are lacking the help they need, warning that the NHS system that funds …read more
Posted on: July 7th, 2023 by Amy
This week marks the 75th anniversary of the NHS. Members of the Beacon team reflect on personal experiences, the concept of a public healthcare system, and the people who work tirelessly within this unique institution. Dan Harbour, Managing Director: “The NHS care my family received when going through two pregnancies and deliveries was fantastic, timely and caring. Likewise any treatment / investigations my immediate family has needed have been timely, professional and high quality. The clinical expertise and advice provided to my mum’s care home by the community palliative team made that whole situation much …read more
Posted on: May 12th, 2023 by Amy
Image courtesy of Peter Kindersley via the Centre for Ageing Better age-positive image library The NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Assessment, sometimes known as the Full Assessment, is a detailed appraisal of your care needs, which uses a form called the Decision Support Tool (DST) to decide if you are eligible to receive NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. A Full Assessment is usually triggered when an individual ‘passes’ a screening stage using the Continuing Healthcare Checklist. It is also performed for people who are already eligible and are being reassessed to see if they remain eligible. The assessment is coordinated …read more
Posted on: February 22nd, 2023 by Amy
Part 2: The Full Assessment of Need Getting assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding can seem complicated and confusing, so we have written an essential guide to help you through. Read Part 1 of The Essential Guide to find out when and how you can request a Checklist assessment, what it entails, and what happens next. If a Checklist has been completed and indicates that you’re eligible for a full assessment, your Integrated Care Board (ICB) should get the ball rolling to get the full assessment of need completed. In Part 2 of The Essential …read more
Posted on: February 22nd, 2023 by Amy
Part 1: The Screening Checklist Getting assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding can seem complicated and confusing, so we have written an essential guide to help you through. For most people, the first step in getting assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding is a screening stage where a health or social care professional evaluates your needs against a Checklist. Here we explain when and how you can request a Checklist assessment, what it entails, and what happens next. If you have questions or concerns about the outcome of a Checklist assessment – or any other …read more
Posted on: January 31st, 2023 by Amy
On Tuesday 31 January Managing Director of Beacon Dan Harbour appeared on the Andrew Peach breakfast show on BBC Radio Berkshire. Dan spoke to the BBC for their piece on the complexities of NHS Continuing Healthcare and eligibility for it across the country. The BBC also spoke to Mark Entwisle about his experience with the system in East Berkshire. Mark’s mother Christine had been receiving NHS Continuing Healthcare funding for her full-time care for a number of years after a successful assessment. However in 2019 Christine’s annual assessment was overturned and the family are currently awaiting …read more
Posted on: January 31st, 2023 by Amy
Eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare Thousands of people across the UK need to receive ongoing care due to disability, accident or illness. For those that are eligible, the NHS funds the full cost of this care. Sound simple? It’s not. The eligibility criteria are complex and nuanced, and their interpretation is open to disagreement. We help hundreds of people each week to understand NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) eligibility, and to challenge funding decisions when appropriate. Here we’ve put together five important facts about NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility that you should bear in mind when preparing for …read more
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