You’re not alone! New report highlights how tens of thousands are failing to receive NHS care funding they are entitled to.
Are you trying to access NHS Continuing Healthcare funding for yourself or a relative – but getting nowhere? If so, you are far from alone. A new report by the government Public Accounts Committee says tens of thousands of people in England are having this vital care funding denied by the NHS. And it has criticised NHS England for failing to enable people to access NHS CHC funding, saying this put thousands at risk.
What is NHS Continuing Healthcare funding?
NHS CHC is available for people who have intense, complex or unpredictable care needs arising from a primary health need. They do not have to be a specific diagnosis. It may be the result of a severe illness such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or Parkinson’s; and accident or a disability. NHS CHC is personal health and social care arranged and funded by NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The care may be in a residential or nursing facility or at home. The funding is not means-tested – anyone can receive it regardless of savings, assets or income.
Some patients die while waiting for a decision on NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding.
In a report released this week, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) slammed “inconsistency and delays” in assessing eligibility for NHS CHC. In some cases, it says, patients die while still waiting for this vital assistance.
NHS England has asked the local CCGs that administer NHS CHC to save £855 million from their CHC and nursing budgets by 2021. Which means even more people could miss out on this vital care funding. The report warned this would ultimately put patient safety at risk.
The report also criticises the postcode lottery that means the number of people receiving CHC funding varies from 28 per 100,000 in some parts of the country to 356 per 100,000 in others. It puts this down partly to the different ways CCGs are interpreting the rules governing eligibility. The chair of the committee Meg Hillier MP said this funding could make a “critical difference” to the quality of life of seriously debilitated patients.
She added that the demand for CCGs to make big efficiency savings would add to the financial pressures on the frontline. She said there should be “remedial action” against CCGs that fail to provide this vital lifeline for deserving applicants.
How can Just Caring Legal help?
Are you struggling to pay for care? Do you think you or a relative should be eligible for NHS CHC? If you are you should not be paying at all. Unfortunately there are many obstacles to overcome in accessing this vital funding. Just Caring Legal specialises in NHS CHC cases.
Contact us today to see how we can help you obtain the best possible outcome for your care funding needs.