CHC changes are coming... Keep calm and drink tea.

[Kevin_1]

Hi folks

There has been an attempt to clean up the confusion in the CHC process.

The new, modified, National Service framework has to be adopted by the Commissioning Groups (Your local NHS) by October 2018.

The changes are better for us.

Here you go - this is the quick read:

beaconchc.co.uk/our-comment...

For those applying now - ask the assessors whether they are using the new National Service Framework... As it was only published in March I expect that your assessor haven't heard about it yet... Not their fault... they are totally overworked and have to wait to be told by their managers. My heart goes out to them.

Waving

Kevin

[Satt2015]

Kevin your absolutely bloody amazing and I love you! Thank you for sharing!

Without reading it all yet, this paragraph gives me some hope....

Guidance on the nature of annual CHC reviews has been significantly improved, which is excellent news for patients and their families. There is now a clear focus on reviews being primarily to check that the patient’s care package is working well, not on reviewing eligibility. Eligibility should only be reviewed if the CCG can demonstrate that the needs have substantially changed. Where eligibility reviews are carried out, they must – like the first full assessment – involve a multidisciplinary team and use the Decision Support Tool.

Does this mean that funding won’t be removed now, once agreed?

I’ll continue reading, thanks again. Huge hugs x

[Kevin_1 in reply to Satt2015]

No, it means they have to do a complete DST Assessment. They can nolonger zip in and remove funding.

But this is only after they adopt the new Framework... They' got until October. Having said that it is very poor practice not to re-do the DST in a review if they are looking at removing funding.

Hugs back at ya

xxx

[Satt2015 in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks Kevin, can you please elaborate on the DST, I don’t really fully understand and need it in simple English x

[Kevin_1]

Amanda 😘

Sorry, I got swallowed up by the NHS jargon machine. Lol.

The DST is the Decision support tool.The paper form they use in the assessment for Continuing Health Care.

When someone is being assessed for Continuing Health Care the first response is the 'Checklist' This is a quick check to see if they in any way might be eligible.

If they are the next step is for a Social Services needs and risk assessment.

That same social worker should attend the DST assessment with an assessing nurse. The 'tool' they use for the assessment is the DST. This is the second stage.

There is a copy of it the new one here.

gov.uk/government/publicati...

You know all of this I know - You are tired. Working too hard 😿

Do take care of yourself.

Hugs

Kevin

[Satt2015 in reply to Kevin_1]

Thank you honey and yes I am tired, hanging in fact, after a mad night out! X

[Kevin_1 in reply to Satt2015]

Mad night outs are good

x

[Satt2015 in reply to Kevin_1]

Not when your feeling rough as a dog the next day, their not!

Woof woof! 😆 x

[Kevin_1 in reply to Satt2015]

🙀🙀🙀

[NanBabs in reply to Kevin_1]

We have never had a social worker present at any CHC/DST assessment ! We only got a needs assessment report from a social worker when I requested one last November - it was the first time in over 3 years that I had actually met one.

xx

[Kevin_1 in reply to NanBabs]

Hi NanB

Yes, the whole thing is a bity of a mess with regulations not being followed.

At our first DST we didn't have a social worker present. They merely submitted a report, but we got funding and so I said nothing.

A year on we had a horrendous DST conducted by an agency on the CCG's behalf. Both were nurses and one of them was in the early stages of training and knew nothing. The older nurse kept overruling the 'trainee' as well (unlawful). I didn't even wait for the outcome, but wrote to the CCG explaining in some detail how the assessment was unlawful and that I wanted another one. The funding continued and six months later we had a proper one with a social worker.

In that assessment the nurse kept marking scores down ridiculously. I often read the advisory note out on a particular score only to be told that it did not mean what it clearly said. We got it anyway.

Such a damned fight though! I am really concerned for the many out there who are unfamiliar with this sort of thing and who are perhaps too trusting who get nothing and are left to struggle.

The government has said it will review social and health care funding. Given their record of cuts that gives me little hope!

Hugs to you

xx

[wheelrace]

thanks kevin I will be seeing our doctor on Tuesday to start the process I don't have a printer but my brother has Geoff is very poorly in hospital at the moment and even there I am having problems because he coughs with food they just stopped feeding him so I spend most of the day there to make sure he is fed most of the nursing staff don't know psp so I have tried to explain its difficult for them as well were would people turn without your knowledge thanks again Doreen ps the ward of 32 beds has only one ecg machine and they have to keep an eye on it in case its [borrowed ]

[Kevin_1 in reply to wheelrace]

Oh, Wheelrace!

My heart goes out to you both.

Wishing you both the best.

[doglington in reply to wheelrace]

I don't know how advanced your husband is but when my husband was in hospital I said he needed a care package before he came home. Until then I had managed alone but he deteriorated immensely. They set up a palliative team for us. They were wonderful. If your husband is at that stage you can get it quickly. xxx

[wheelrace in reply to doglington]

thanks for your advice I will ask but they don't even seem to know what psp is our doctor didn't think Geoff would see xmas but the specialist said he could go on a couple of years so how do you decide what stage hes at he cannot do anything for himself totally incontinent cant feed cant see properly has to be moved by me so who do I ask doctor at the hospital the doctor who was on at the weekend was a temp who did you ask I'm 73 and have looked after Geoff for the last 4 years on my own with help from family but it is getting harder I don't want him to feel hes a burden I will follow your advice thanks a lot

[doglington in reply to wheelrace]

Give them info about PSP but his care needs are apparent to them, regardless of the label and they need the bed. Fast track is to help them release the bed. You need to have a hospital bed and pressure mattress, if you don't have them already. Stress that you want him home but must have proper support. Talk as if it is near the end. No-one knows. You do what needs to be done to get what you want.

Good luck. Be strong as you have been.

love, Jean xx

[wheelrace in reply to doglington]

we have a hospital bed for two years I tried to talk to the senior nurse tonight about fast track she said she would go home and google psp so she knows what she is dealing with as she was reluctant to do anything before that I am worried geoffs still on high antibiotics and his blood pressure was back up over 200 she was pinging for a doctor to see him they didn't let me stay so I will ring after 9 oclock I said ring me if things change and believe it or not she said do you want us to ring you its a worry thanks for listening Doreen he has been refused a peg by the way they said he wasn't well enough for anethsetic

[doglington in reply to wheelrace]

We made the decision to not have a peg as his quality of life was so poor. The doctor seemed to take charge. It sounds straight forward really.

I'm rooting for you.

Big hug from Jean xx

[doglington in reply to wheelrace]

I was lucky as the hospital in London did know about PSP. As he refused a feeding tube they saw him as terminal. They were excellent at communicating with me.

xx

[Kevin_1 in reply to wheelrace]

Hi Wheelrace

Jean (doglington) makes a very good point.

As you approach discharge ask for a 'Fast Track' Continuing Health Care assessment.

As Jean says it is the quick easy route.