COPD & NHS continuing funding

[Artyjools]

Hello. I'm wondering whether anyone has had any experience of obtaining NHS funding for a relative who has COPD (chronic obstructive pulminory disease) and has had to go into a nursing home.

My mother in law has had COPD for some time, which has lead to increasing problems with breathing and mobility. Matters are made worse by frequent chest infections and panic attacks. She has been in a care home for coming up to two years, but has currently been in hospital for just over a week following a very severe chest infection. The care home, which is privately funded, is refusing to take her back because her nursing care needs are now too great for them. We have found a good nursing home, but we are wondering whether she would now be entitled to continuing care funding from the NHS.

Logic seems to indicate she should be because she is having to move because of her health needs, but I am guessing things are never so straight forward. She will have to have an assessment when she is discharged from hospital and it would be useful to know how to approach that.

i think that it depends on if she has any capital, if she is self funding. Rules do change all the time so i might not be up to date . I am sure i will corrected if im wrong by some else.

I would contact your local PCT and ask to speak to the Continuing Healthcare (CHC) team. They are responsible for completing the checklist, assessment and panel processes that will ultimately determine whether your MIL is eligible for either NHS continuing healthcare or NHS funded nursing care which are two different kinds of care.I wouldn't wait until she is discharged either, start the ball rolling now as there is usually a wait involved at each stage of the process.

Have you been given any leaflets to help you understand this complex process?

The standard DoH one is here www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_106229.pdf

Hope this helps.

Agree with seaweed, these things are dealt with by the CHC team at the PCT. Be prepared to be pretty assertive to get the best care for her.

There are specific criteria that you have to meet for NHS continuing care funding. Just having to move into a nursing home because of health needs is not the test, there cant be many people in nursing homes who dont have health needs that have led to them being there.
As seaweed said, her case would need to be formally assessed against the criteria, but if you have a look at what they are you should be able to get an idea of whether or not she would qualify.

Thank you everyone. It looks as if we probably could have had her assessed on the fast track, but we were very keen to get her out of the hospital, as she couldn't sleep.

I have looked at the criteria and I am fairly sure she would qualify. I raised it a couple of times with the health staff and a doctor and a nurse said they thought she would qualify, and they would start the process, but nothing was done. I am guessing we need to be more assertive. I'll call the CHC team.

Thanks again.

Good luck Arty, CHC is not means assessed (that's social care) but in my experience is very difficult to obtain so get prepared! Often there is a lot of disagreement over what is a 'health' need and what is a 'social' need as PCT & SS will argue with each other about it all. Assertiveness is definitely needed.