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Tailored support for your NHS CHC Assessment
We provide bespoke casework and representation services to give you the best possible chance of achieving a fair and accurate assessment or reassessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare, without the need for appeal which can be a long and costly process.
The services can be uniquely tailored to your needs and wishes. We can help you understand the eligibility criteria and Decision Support Tool (DST), prepare you for the assessment meeting and support you on the day, and ensure that the evidence accurately reflects your care needs.
Beacon’s Assessment Support services provide expert support and welcome reassurance as you navigate the complex NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment. We can ensure you are well prepared, with written evidence, for the important assessment meeting, and be there as your specialist advocate on the day. NHS Independent Panel members regularly tell us that our client representation is amongst the best they have seen, and clients say that our presence offers enormous reassurance.
Our help can give you the best chance of a positive decision first time. This is quicker, simpler, and less stressful than having to appeal a negative decision if you think your assessment was inaccurate or unfair
Assessment Advocacy Service
Our Assessment Advocacy Service is designed to support you through the full CHC assessment process. This is for people who have been referred to their Integrated Care Board (ICB) for a full assessment, usually following the completion of a Checklist Screening Assessment, or for people who are already eligible and are being reassessed to see if they remain eligible.
Our experienced caseworkers will help you to understand the NHS Continuing Healthcare criteria and to prepare for your assessment, representing you at the assessment meeting and giving you the best chance possible of achieving an accurate and fair assessment without the need for an appeal.
Our standard Assessment Advocacy Service includes the following:
- a telephone or Skype consultation ahead of the assessment meeting
- liaison with the assessment coordinator to make sure that the right health and social care professionals are identified and invited to participate in the assessment
- a face-to-face or online meeting with you on the day of the multidisciplinary assessment to help you prepare. We will explain how the assessment will unfold, your rights during the process, how to interpret the eligibility criteria, and how to ensure that the Decision Support Tool accurately reflects your health and social care needs
- attendance at the assessment – in person or via teleconference – as your expert advocate to present your needs in such a way that promotes an accurate and high quality assessment and maximises your chance of success
- a de-brief after the assessment to prepare you for the next steps and discuss anything that arose from the meeting.
Please note that this service is for ‘current’ assessments of need rather than retrospective assessments which generally span a longer assessment period.
Assessment Advocacy with Evidence Review Service
In addition to all of the items in the standard service above, our Assessment Advocacy with Evidence Review Service, also includes the following:
- review of relevant paperwork from any previous assessments (such as completed Checklists or Decision Support Tools) in preparation for the new assessment or reassessment
- comprehensive review of relevant care records on the day of, or the day before, the assessment meeting.
Whenever possible, we strongly recommend opting for this service as it provides an opportunity for your caseworker to fully appraise themselves of your care records ahead of the assessment. This puts them in a more informed position to present your case for Continuing Healthcare eligibility.
Please note that this service is only possible where we are able to begin work on your case at least two weeks in advance of the assessment, and able to obtain a copy of your care records in sufficient time.
Bespoke Assessment Support
Our Bespoke Assessment Support Service complements our Assessment Support services. We recognise that every case is different, and you may have additional requirements not covered by our ‘off the shelf’ packages above.
With a bespoke add-on, we’re able to adapt our support to exactly meet your needs in any area relating to the Continuing Healthcare assessment. For instance, you may require us to:
- provide a consultation via telephone, Skype or in person with or without written advice to help you understand how to prepare for the assessment process
- take part in a care plan review at the care home as your specialist advocate
- review the completed Decision Support Tool
- draft detailed family comments on the draft assessment prior to a Integrated Care Board decision or panel.
Cost
The cost of the Assessment Advocacy Service is £2,500 (plus VAT). This represents 2 – 3 weeks’ typical care home fees.
The cost of the Assessment Advocacy with Evidence Review Service is £3,500 (plus VAT). This represents 3 – 4 weeks’ typical care home fees.
Click here to visit our Fees page and read more about how our fees compare to the market average.
To enquire about any of our our Assessment Support services call us on 0345 548 0300, select option 2, and leave a message with your enquiry. Alternatively you can email enquiries@beaconchc.co.uk.
We will respond to your enquiry for representation within 48 hours. Please try to contact us as soon as possible in advance of your assessment and let us know if there are any important dates we should be aware of.
Our other casework & representation services
If you’ve already had an assessment and are trying to decide whether to appeal, we recommend our Expert Analysis Service to scrutinise your NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment and decision.
If you have been assessed as not eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, and wish to appeal, our Full Appeal Management Service can lead the process on your behalf.
Not looking for casework, and just have a few questions about your assessment and NHS Continuing Healthcare? Contact our Free Information & Advice service for general advice and to book a consultation of up to 90 minutes of free advice with a specialist adviser.
