My husband was awarded CHC funding on discharge from hospital in July. I've just had a phone call to say it is due for review - which I was expecting as I know it is reviewed after 3 months - and it will be telephone tomorrow evening so not much notice.
Does anyone out there have any experience of having a CHC funding review? Any information about what I should expect or any tips to share would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance
They will be looking to see if anything has improved in terms of his health, make sure you explain how things are the same or have worsened.
And if you need more help/care for him.
Thankyou
Hi, Generally a 3 month review is focused on checking the care /hours agreed is suitable and sufficient, not a detailed review or jutification of needs as you experienced at the assessment. Like you I was worried but found the experience positive...we had a visit. I had prepared some information on changes in the 3 months thinking we would need to justify again but on arrival the CHC contact stated she wasnt here to take the funding away but rather to see if care hours provided met needs. In discussing changes and current state she felt this actually highlighted increased need and I wasnt expecting but was given extra hours in the form of some nights hours focused on giving me a break. So dont worry too much - be prepared to say how the care provided is meeting needs and dont be afraid to express further needs if you feel you have any gaps. Dont under any circumstances say there is less need or medical conditions improved...any improvement is only likely due to increased care support eg less falls but only because carer with the person etc. I would suggest you do keep records going forward - daily diary, progressions and changes, details of any medical interventions as it is highly likely you will have a 12 month review (12mths after the 3 mth review) and that will be a more detailed discussion where you have to evidence continued or increased need. Good luck tomorrow xx
Thanks - that’s really helpful
Thank you, we are a couple of months behind, so really useful to get this context. We are still completing the full set of information to get the personal health budget signed off, but it's nearly there and we seem to be getting everything we need. A bit scary to see how soon the review is coming up. We just had to complete a "Continuous Observation Care Provision" observation record, so I'm prepared to do that again when needed. Good luck to SunriseLegend 🌻🤗
Thanks - and good luck to you as well. It’s a lot of effort isn’t it getting your head round the system requirements Sometimes I wonder how sufferers who don’t have capable loved ones to advocate for them manage to navigate the system
Hi Sunrise
I agree with Millidog it was more of an informal check in that care was being provided at an acceptable level. But I had copies of hospital letters ready to show and had written a list of challenges at that time to ensure I had evidence to hand that the need was the same or greater in all areas. Prompt sheets like this gave me confidence that I wouldn’t be caught out not being able to reply.
Good luck
Tippy
Thanks - yes I’ve just spent the morning preparing my list!
How did it go?
Thanks for asking. 45 minute phone call covering all aspects of the CHC checklist. Outcome as I expected. On discharge from hospital the CHC was under the fastrack criteria (expected rapid deterioration and limited life expectancy) . That assessment is no longer applicable as his condition is relatively stable. Instead he now falls under the complex care needs criteria . He will have a full face to face reassessment in the next month - but no need for concern as the evidence I have provided so far indicates he has complex care needs . The different assessment category will mean that other health care services that we don’t already have access to will become available to us. Not exactly sure what that will mean but sounds positive.
Thanks again to everyone for coming up trumps with helpful advice at such short notice - this forum is amazing!!!!
Glad it went ok x
Thank you for bringing this question up, we too are soon to face a review after entering it on the fast track criteria. It’s given me a chance to prepare and as you say have confidence in answering the questions.
Glad you had a positive response from it.
My mum was discharged from hospital under fastrack and I'm expecting a review soon. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I feel much less apprehensive now
CHC has been a godsend to my parents, the process to get it was traumatic.
My poor mum is still terrified they will remove it despite dad having deteriorated significantly since it was put in place back in March 24.
I won’t share my story of how we got the funding for my dad, perhaps a separate post however I hope the review went well and your getting all the help you need to support your husbands needs.
SunriseLegend can I ask how it went?
I feel like I tempted fate as my parents now have a review, they are convinced they will lose it.
We're in crisis again
I look at my dad and the situation and just cannot see how CHC could sit in a room with them and not see how complex his needs, he is far from stable as he has developed other clinical problems in the past 12 months that make it even more complex.
All went well - but my husband found it a very distressing experience as it shone a spotlight on everything that he has wrong with him. As I had done for the initial phone review, I gathered as much evidence as I could think of for each of the domains - even the slightest detail could help in meeting the complex care criteria . The nurse who was leading the review said that I had done a good job of bringing relevant examples which was helpful to them. From the start they indicated that they thought he should keep the funding but they had to have the evidence to show that he met the criteria and justify the decision. It will be reviewed again in 3 months and I’ve been told to keep a record of everything that might be relevant as evidence for next time. Good luck
I am SO very happy that you achieved a positive outcome for you and your husband.
Thank you for responding and sharing
Part of our challenge has been the lack of district nursing support - it's been sporadic at best.
Given the requirement for evidence which is critical, the lack of evidence and advocacy from the district nurses is awful - they have not even done a waterlow score or checked his skin integrity despite him being immobile / bed / chair bound - my mum and the carers do an excellent job here for dad.
My dad's neurologist and the palliative nursing team have both written very supportive letters for his CHC ... there is quite a lot of evidence with the GP too. I wish we had a more supportive district nursing team.
Before the meeting in a few weeks, I'm spending the time putting all the evidence together against the criteria to best help mum in that meeting.
Fingers crossed
Chc review
CHC Funding -Compass
