The Daily Mail report on the lack of NHS funding for care homes, a disparity in funding and postcode lottery provided by different Clinical Commissioning Groups
The Compass Continuing Healthcare team provide this link to the Daily Mail Article regarding the lack of NHS funding for care homes available, and the disparity in funding and postcode lottery provided by different Clinical Commissioning Groups across the UK.
It is concerning that there is any disparity between different responsible NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in terms of NHS funding for care home costs, known as continuing healthcare funding, and shocking to learn that patients are 18 times more likely to have their care funded in some parts of England than others.
The key to securing funding to meet the cost of care where the patient is entitled to it is first to ensure that you have the expertise to be able to tackle the NHS assessors responsible for assessing the patient in question and ensuring that they correctly assess the needs of the individual. The danger is that the NHS assessor may underscore and downplay the needs of the patient so that they do not meet the criteria in order that the eligibility for funding is not met. Based on the evidence NHS trusts may not be applying the criteria correctly because if the criteria were correctly applied across the country there would not be such disparity in funding being awarded.
Additionally if it is necessary to proceed to the full appeal procedure it is again crucial to ensure you are supporting by an expert in the area to give you the best possible chance of securing the funding to which the patient is entitled. The Compass Continuing Healthcare funding team are NHS funding for care home experts and have a high success rate of assisting individuals securing continuing healthcare funding where they are entitled to it if the need for care primarily is a health need.
It is also concerning the read that a former Adult Social Care manager at Devon County Council has indicated he resigned due to the health service denying funding to eligible patients.
If you have a parent or relative paying for care and you believe there need for care is a health need contact the Compass Continuing Healthcare team today for a free, no obligation discussion of your options. Our telephone number is 0800 008 7777.
Author: Tim Davies LLB
