New Guidance to assess Continuing Healthcare
The Welsh Assembly
Government has issued new guidance to Health Boards on a Framework
for Implementing Continuing NHS Healthcare in
Wales.
12 I 08 I 10
Continuing NHS
Healthcare – The National Framework for Implementation in
Wales - is to be implemented by Monday 16 August 2010 and
follows a similar structure already in place in England.
Continuing NHS Healthcare
is a package of care arranged and funded solely by the NHS, where
it has been assessed that the individual’s primary need is a health
need.
The new guidance contains a
decision making tool which is to be used to assess an individual’s
eligibility to receive continuing healthcare funding. NHS staff in
Wales currently interpret local criteria to determine who is
eligible for continuing NHS health care in their area. From August
16, there will be a national framework and a national decision
support tool which will continue to be interpreted by NHS.
Lisa Morgan, Senior
Associate with Specialist Nursing Care Team at leading law firm
Hugh James says, "The new continuing care framework is welcomed
but we want to see it monitored carefully to assess its impact. It
is hoped that it will go some way to remove the current post code
lottery system. However, the tool to assess individuals’
eligibility is still subjective and there is scope for
inconsistency across the country.”
A National Framework has
been used in England since October 2007 and has seen an increase in
the amount of individuals eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.
Lisa Morgan goes on to say, “The new framework is very similar
to the English guidance; however there are some very important
differences which we are very concerned about and which we feel may
have significant impact on dementia sufferers who are some of the
most vulnerable in our society.”
Hugh
James leads in the field of assisting people to recover fees paid
to care homes.