NHS continuing healthcare funding (CHC) is a package of care provided outside of hospital that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS for those 18 or older who have significant ongoing healthcare needs.
View report and recommendations
Sue Bott, Deputy CEO of Disability Rights UK said:
“We welcome this report from the Public Accounts Committee calling for improvements in the administration of continuing health care and consistency in decision making across all CCG areas.
The question of who is eligible is critical to many of our members – it’s the difference between whether you get support free from the NHS or have to make a contribution if its social care.
We also think the committee are right to raise with NHS England how on earth further efficiency saving in the continuing health care budget can possibly be made given that the need for support is increasing.
The answer is surely not to force disabled people with high support needs into institutions on the spurious grounds that this is cheaper. This would be contrary to our human rights and be a step backwards.”
Background
The National Audit Office (NAO) published an investigation into CHC in July , in which the NAO identified problems with the CHC assessment process as the current process both raises people’s expectations over whether they will receive funding, as well as failing to make the best use of assessment staff.
This report considers developments made on CHC since July.