You have an insight into the patient’s needs, you may even care for them. You relay this knowledge to a Specialist Advisor and we confirm that what you have said suggests that there may be a primary health need.
Why then do need to complete an investigation?
The answer is simple: we must ascertain whether the clinical evidence supports this initial view.
We do this by drawing on our 10 plus years of experience and expertise in understanding and representing families in what is a very complex and niche process.
Why do we carry out a preliminary investigation?
Whilst many of our prospective and current clients may have a strong understanding of a patient’s needs, we commonly find that, certainly where the patient is residing in a care home, there can be crucial information regarding a patient’s needs that the family are unaware of. This means that families are often unaware of the full picture of their loved one’s needs, and this is information which could go undiscussed during the assessment process.
Our robust investigation allows us to gather all of the relevant records and cross-refer these with the NHS criteria. We then draft exceptionally comprehensive representations, setting out exactly why there is a basis to suggest that the patient has a primary health need and is entitled to Continuing Healthcare funding.
Why do we draft full representations?
What we must bear in mind is that NHS Continuing Healthcare is an evidence-based process. Evidence can include verbal submissions from a carer or family member, but critically from an NHS standpoint, there is significant weighting on written records such as care records, hospital records and GP records.
This is why understanding what the records are demonstrating before the NHS review these is so crucial. Clearly, if a patient’s needs are not being adequately reflected in their records, the care provider must be informed so that this can be rectified ahead of the assessment, to ensure a robust assessment can be undertaken.
At Compass CHC, we have a team of experts including medical and legal professionals, who can establish exactly what evidence is required to support a finding of a primary health need. Our investigation enables us to provide you with a comprehensive assessment, ensuring you are able to proceed to the assessment stage armed with the evidence required to put forward the strongest possible case.
If you would like further information regarding our investigation and how we can assist in securing Continuing Healthcare funding, please contact our team of Specialist Advisors today on 0800 008 7777.
