They Shoot Horses Don't they?

[Willow_rob]

Trying to get to the bottom of CHC funding is becoming ever draining and I am minded of the film title above whereby competitors in a Dance contest would win if they were the last ones performing, The rest having dropped out though exhaustion or death. I have now discovered that Mary had a DS 1500 completed for her on 4 December 2017 which should have fast tracked her through the NHS funding system because she has very limited life expectancy. I am now told to arrange respite care for both of us because the NHS will pick up the tab! Who do I believe? The GP who tells me that funding should already be in place or the system that says I have to wait for 3 months until evidence is gathered before I can progress to the next assessment? Grateful for any advice. Ever exhausted Rob

[Hidden]

Have you tried to contact the NHS Continuing Healthcare team in your local health authority - they would have been the nurses that undertook the assessment? My mum gets CHC and I have found the nurse that always undertakes her assessments to be really helpful. Depending on the level of CHC funding, they will have gone through a process (using the Decision Support Tool) that may have involved a multi-disciplinary team (which therefore would have involved local social services too). As my mum's funding is paid directly to the nursing home, I don't actually see the money, but I do know that it took a few months before its processed (and from what I understand from the home its not always received on a set date monthly). Hope this helps Jo

[Willow_rob in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Jo, I have only just found out that the DS1500 was completed on 5 December 2017. As someone completely new to the confusion of NHS bureaucracy I am struggling to get to grips with it.I have a meeting this afternoon with the Practice Matron who is helping me process the forms in the normal way so I hope to get some answers. Rob

[Hidden in reply to Willow_rob]

Hi Rob

its a minefield! I hope this might help..... Attendance Allowance is basically a state-funded benefit that has 2 levels of benefit. Its NOT means tested and is administered by the Dept for Work & Pensions. It is paid to the recipient of care as a result of the need for someone / organisation to support them in caring for them.

Continuing Healthcare is an NHS & Local Authority funded arrangement. The premise it is paid to those who would otherwise need NHS / hospital care - the whole premise is to try to keep someone out of hospital which costs them more! Again it has 2 levels of funding (depending on the person's needs). It is clinically assessed and therefore not granted unless (having gone through a structured assessment) that the Nurse & Social services will undertake with the person, their professional carers and relatives / representative of the person, it is considered that the person's nursing needs are such that they qualify. They assess: behaviour

cognition (understanding), communication, psychological/emotional needs, mobility, nutrition (food and drink), continence, skin (including wounds and ulcers), breathing, symptom control through drug therapies and medication, altered states of consciousness and other significant needs. These needs are given a weighting marked "priority", "severe", "high", "moderate", "low" or "no needs".

If the person qualifies, it is NEVER paid directly to the recipient of care (to my knowledge) - it is always paid directly to the people who deliver the nursing care (In my mum's case it goes straight to the nursing home). It is NOT means tested (but depending on the Local Authorities level of funding for nursing care, it might not cover all fees - I have to pay a top up fee as the home my mum is in charges more than the Local Authority fund)

I'd really advise contacting Age UK if you are stuck in all of this. When my mum first fell ill (she was formally diagnosed with CBD 6 years ago now, and has had the condition for in excess of 8 years), they were brilliant at helping get everything in order & they still reach out to offer help

Jo

[Willow_rob in reply to Hidden]

Further to my last I have found out from the Hospice Care local that the DS1500 is the form they use for fast tracking the higher rate of Attendance Allowance and nothing to do with CHC funding. oh well back to the drawing board.

[D0ttieL0ttie]

Unfortunately it takes months before you get the funding and then they credit your account from the day it was applied for.

This meant that with we had a big amount of money suddenly appear (without any communication).

They then took the back pay away from us about 2 months later saying we had too much money in the account.

I find it impossible to talk to anyone in CHC. I have rung 5 times over the last 2 weeks to speak about funding and no one has rung me back despite being promised call backs on each occasion.

It is very frustrating an I believe the whole system is in choas.

Sorry that this does not appear helpful, if you are able start getting care in and then you can claim it back.

Good uck

Pam

[Kevin_1]

Hi Rob

Adding to Jo's post.

The Care Commissioning group is supposed to respond within 28 days not six months!

They need chasing. There is no waiting time for evidence to be gathered. They are meant to do that in a 'timely fashion' Three months is not timely!

Depending on the outcome of the meeting with the practice matron do come back.

I am happy to give some pointers to move things along.

Definitely a phone call to the CCG is needed now. Best if the matron does that.

I'm so sorry you are having to fight for this, but your allusion to the film seems very appropriate.

Best to you

Kevin

[Willow_rob in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks Kevin and everyone, will keep you posted. Rob