News Articles

Terminology adjustment to paragraph 59 of the National Framework

Posted on: November 14th, 2023 by Amy
Woman types on laptop

Recently the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) made an adjustment to the terminology of paragraph 59 of the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare (NF). The new version of paragraph 59 states: The old version of paragraph 59 was as follows: While this amendment potentially does not change the core meaning of the section of the NF and in fact emphasises the link between the primary health need test and the quantity and quality test established in the Coughlan judgement, it now appears to specifically state that ‘Part A’ of the test only applies …read more

Advocacy Awareness Week 2023 – What is advocacy?

Posted on: November 10th, 2023 by Amy

6 – 11 November 2023 is Advocacy Awareness Week and across the UK organisations have been getting involved by running events, producing resources, and opening up important conversations on the topic. At Beacon we’ve been reflecting on what we understand by the term ‘advocacy’ – what it is, why it’s important, and what its role is in relation to NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI), organisers of the Advocacy Awareness Week initiative, say: “Independent advocacy is a powerful mechanism of support that enables people to say what they want, secure their …read more

Tell Healthwatch Oxfordshire your experience of NHS Continuing Healthcare

Posted on: October 6th, 2023 by Amy
Older couple holding hands walking away from the camera.

Image courtesy of Peter Kindersley via the Centre for Ageing Better age-positive image library Healthwatch Oxfordshire wants to hear about your experience of applying for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding and support. The county’s independent health and care watchdog is looking for people in the area willing to share their stories so it can highlight what is working well and what could be better. It wants to hear from those who have been successful in their applications for CHC funding, as well as those who have not. Stories can be shared via Zoom, phone or face …read more

DHSC call for evidence on improving integrated commissioning in health and social care

Posted on: September 19th, 2023 by Amy
Woman types on laptop

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is welcoming views on changes to section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 – to increase the use of pooled budgets to support the integration of health and care. The changes aim to encourage system leaders in local areas to use partnership arrangements and pooled budgets more widely, and more flexibly, in ways that will benefit patients. The survey considers current section 75 partnership arrangements and impacts; supporting further integration between health and social care; and widening the scope of section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 to …read more

NHS-funded nursing care to rise from 1 April 2023

Posted on: March 29th, 2023 by Amy

NHS-funded nursing care to rise from 1 April 2023 The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that the standard rate they will pay for NHS-funded nursing care (FNC) is to rise by 5%, from £209.19 to £219.71 per week from 1 April 2023. FNC is the contribution paid by the NHS toward the costs of a place in a care home with nursing for eligible people assessed as needing the help of a registered nurse. Tens of thousands of people in the UK receive FNC. The higher rate of NHS-funded nursing care will also increase …read more

What does it all mean? Common acronyms used in Continuing Healthcare

Posted on: January 10th, 2023 by Amy
Continuing Healthcare acronyms

The NHS Continuing Healthcare system can be confusing enough, without having to decode the endless acronyms that permeate correspondence and paperwork. We’ve put together a beginner’s guide to the common abbreviations you might come across as you navigate the system.  Read on for our guide to Continuing Healthcare acronyms… CHC – Continuing Healthcare, or NHS Continuing Healthcare, also sometimes referred to as Continuing Care NHS funding that some people are entitled to receive as a result of disability, accident or illness. It covers the full cost of the person’s care and residential accommodation. NHS Continuing Healthcare is …read more

Round-up of the July 2022 updates to the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care

Posted on: November 11th, 2022 by Amy
National Framework for CHC July 2022 update

On 1 July 2022 an updated version of the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) came into use. In this article we summarise the updates and explain their impact. We also highlight where we believe changes will make a positive or negative impact on the individuals and their loved ones navigating CHC, and what areas are unclear. Read our longer form article giving a more detailed study of these changes. Background The latest updates are the fourth revision to the Framework, which was first published in 2007. The reasons behind …read more

Survey for nursing homes on FNC

Posted on: January 6th, 2022 by Amy

The Department of Health and Social Care is undertaking research on NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC) to inform the 2022/23 rate and assess the impact of COVID-19 on FNC and associated costs in 2021/22. Nursing homes are invited to participate in the FNC Cost Collection Survey. You can start the survey at any time by opening the document and saving a new version with your contributions. Once completed, please follow the instructions in the document to email it to the Department. A Privacy Notice accompanies the survey, which you can find here. If you have any questions …read more

Beacon fears many people wrongfully denied an assessment for NHS care funding during the pandemic

Posted on: October 11th, 2021 by Amy

An analysis of calls to our helpline has raised concerns around screening practices for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) eligibility during the pandemic. The usual way to determine if a patient should be assessed for CHC eligibility is through a screening process. The ONLY screening tool that is sanctioned by the Department of Health and Social Care is the CHC Checklist. However, we have heard from hundreds of families whose loved ones were denied a CHC assessment through unsanctioned screening methods. This practice could mean that some people are now paying thousands for care that they are …read more

Government announces overhaul of social care funding in England

Posted on: September 7th, 2021 by Amy

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has today announced an overhaul of the way that social care is funded in England. Unlike NHS Continuing Healthcare, social care funding is means tested, so the level at which councils contribute to care costs are based on the value of savings and assets held by an individual. The underlying details of the Government’s plan for social care are yet to be clarified, so we’re unsure how it will impact the Continuing Healthcare system. Based on what we know now, Beacon’s Managing Director, Dan Harbour, has said: “We welcome the fact …read more

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