The Decision Support Tool (DST)

What is the Decision Support Tool (DST)?

The Decision Support Tool – commonly referred to as the DST – is the form that must be completed by assessors during a Full Assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Assessors use the DST to organise and record the evidence about the individual’s care needs into 12 areas or ‘domains’, which are:

  • Behaviour
  • Cognition
  • Psychological and emotional needs
  • Communication
  • Mobility
  • Nutrition – food and drink
  • Continence
  • Skin and tissue viability
  • Breathing
  • Drug therapies and medication
  • Altered states of consciousness
  • Other significant care needs

The assessment team – or MDT (which stands for multi-disciplinary team) – then assign a level of need ranging from ‘No Needs’ to ‘High’, ‘Severe’ or ‘Priority’ to each domain in the DST.

You can download a blank Decision Support Tool here and find out more about the CHC assessment process here.

We cannot stress enough how important it is to be well prepared for your CHC Full Assessment – read our top tips on how to prepare.

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