We have a meeting next week about CHC for my father. I’d be grateful for any tips from those who have experience of the system.
He’s in hospital at the moment. He still has reasonable understanding, but can’t move (just a little movement of one arm) or speak. He was at home being cared for by my mother till a couple of weeks ago when he went in hospital with pneumonia. As you know, these things often coincide with a general worsening, so he needs much more care now than he did before this.
This is from someone who has had pneumonia make sure it is all clear. I had pneumonia 3 years ago I was in the hospital for eight days and out of work for 7weeks it's so easy to get it again so make sure they're keeping on listening to his lungs an x-ray show every thing
Where ever you have him checked it out many times
Good luck in all that you do
We have just received fast-track approval. It has been suprisingly joined up and painless so far. My dad is currently in hospital and we are arranging nursing care.
My advice would be to state clearly what your goals are for your father's care and push back if you dont feel that they are going to be met by what the MDT team are recommending.
Hope this helps
M
Hi blots
Get the hospital involved and social worker too the input what he needs also
Also don't let them fob you off when he's ready for home tell them the care needs to be in place before that if the say they need the bed tell them tough no go if no care in place
I had the experience while Archie was in hospital and CHC came to hospital to asses and he got it
Unfortunately you have to stand your ground to get is sorted
Hope all goes well for you
Sue xx
Thank you. The meeting is going to be held on the hospital ward, and they said nursing and other disciplines who’ve been involved (speech therapist, physio etc) would be there. I know the ward sister feels strongly that he needs ongoing nursing care, so that should help. It’s a pain having these systems that just depend on ticking the right boxes!
It’s not as if we want him to go into a home, but I just don’t see that we can manage any other way.
Hi
Good just stick to what you want HELP at home end off don't let them fob you off with anything else .i really kicked my heels in and said he's not going anywhere but home
There's information on the psp site about information for CHC people to read cause as you know a lot don't know about it I would print it and hand it to them
Hope you find it
Sue xx
How much help did you manage to get at home?
I have now got 9 till 2. Then 5till 6 then 8.30 till 9.30 and 3 weeks after being home I get 7 night sits 10 till 7
Sue xx
It’s interesting to know that could be an option — though I think he’d need even more, so it might not be realistic. Still, we’ll keep it in mind if there is a chance of staying at home.
Ok but there's always the chance of staying home
Sue xx
Hi
Ascertain if this is the referral for fast track or the primary assessment by health professional to request CHC assessment. If fast track there will be another assessment in six weeks, i was advised to go for full assessment when our lives cascaded down and glad for once i took someones advice!
Whichever try to be there, focus on dad and not mum's difficulties when he comes home. The whole focus will be on the level of severity of need , PSP will score high on cognition. When you look at the documentation a lot of it is based on the need for assessing and the anticipation and prevention of harm. Washing and toileting do not figure highly on their criteria, but managing bowel function and anticipating intervention does, subtle i know but that is how they work.
I also have blocks per day, this illness does not lend itself to brief pop in visits! The CHC payment does not stipulate who gives care only the need for that care.
Best of luck
Julie
Thank you. That’s helpful. I think it's the full assessment, but I’ll check that.
We had the meeting on Tuesday. They declined CHC, just allowed the £155 nursing allowance. We’ve been to see a couple of homes (though they didn't actually have any spaces) and are talking to the social worker about options.
One of the places we went to yesterday had a bed free, but only for a CHC patient. They all seem to have separately allocated beds — and a couple of places have mentioned that those beds become available more often because it's only granted pretty much at end of life in this area.
Meanwhile my father is just entering his fourth week in hospital.
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