Some individuals suffering from dementia qualify for NHS continuing healthcare , so that some all of their care needs and costs associated with the condition can be met.
However, the application process isn’t always straightforward and getting the full funding you are eligible for can be complex.
If you or someone you know qualifies for continuing healthcare (CHC) funding for dementia, then you will receive a letter from the NHS Integrated Care Board to confirm your eligibility and the level of care you will be getting. The funding for this care will either be paid for by the NHS to your care provider directly or to someone who is looking after the affected individual through a PHB (personal health budget).
When it comes to getting the appropriate NHS continuing healthcare funding for dementia, the solicitors at Hugh James can assist by reviewing past care home fees for retrospective claims. This ensures that you are able to recover any fees already paid either before or after death, that is, if your loved one qualified for CHC funding dementia at the time.
What is NHS continuing healthcare for dementia?
The NHS’s continuing healthcare for dementia is a care package which fully provides funding for adults who have complex ongoing health needs. This includes dementia.
Continuing healthcare funding for dementia is awarded to those individuals who have been identified as having a ‘primary health need’. This means that their day-to-day care needs are to be met and funded by the NHS solely.
Securing funding for NHS continuing care for dementia involves a two-step process which can get complicated and even a bit tricky at times. This is why it is strongly recommended that you consult a solicitor specialising in ‘NHS CHC dementia’, as this ensures that the affected individual gets the full funding that they are entitled to, and also has any paid care fees recovered as per the current eligibility criteria.
CHC funding for dementia: what you need to know
When it comes to CHC funding for dementia, here’s what you need to know:
Once your loved one qualifies for NHS continuing healthcare’ funding, a specialist nurse will work with them to ensure that the support plan fully meets their care needs.
As for the CHC funding for dementia specifically, it can be paid in two ways; directly to the individual’s care service provider, or as a Personal Health Budget, as mentioned earlier. In case of the latter, a designated person, such as a social/health care professional, a carer, or family member, will manage the budget and decide how it is spent.
Many people choose the latter funding option as it offers them better control over how the funding is utilised.
How NHS continuing care helps dementia patients
CHC funding for dementia can help individuals suffering from the condition by providing funding to cover their care needs.
Continuing care funding for dementia can be very helpful for sufferers as the NHS will be solely contributing towards the cost of nursing care. This can be a big help to the affected individual, along with his/her loved ones, as it relieves them of a major financial burden by providing ongoing financial support.
Treatment for dementia needs to be consistent and ongoing in order to be effective and this is where NHS continuing care funding for dementia can be very helpful indeed.
Eligibility for NHS CHC when suffering with dementia
An individual suffering from the condition is eligible for ‘NHS continuing healthcare’ funding once their care needs have been assessed professionally to be intense, complex, or unpredictable. Therefore, a dementia diagnosis alone does not necessarily point to the fact that they will automatically qualify for continuing care funding.
In order to determine eligibility, a team of health and social care professionals will assess your loved one’s care needs. The assessment includes determining how the individual’s needs are currently affecting them in daily life, and, the type of support required to manage those day-to-day needs.
Once eligible, CHC funding will cover the entire cost of care, which includes any residential care and/or professional care home services fee.
Applying for CHC funding for dementia can be a difficult and even emotional process, particularly for the more complicated cases. Make it easy on yourself and your loved one by contacting one of our solicitors for a free initial consultation. They can guide you on how to proceed with the process and how to ensure that your loved one gets the full continuing healthcare funding for dementia that they are eligible for.
