Funding and Care Plan Review

[HollyRoo]

My lovely 87 year old mother has been in a care home since January 2020. It was clear she was sruggling at home and losing things, aware her head was "muddled" and things "stopped working" - she forgot how to use appliances and the house became way to hard for her even with us visiting daily. We had carers coming in at home but felt she was too anxious and unsafe to be on her own. She agreed and happily went into an amazing home. Drs said she had had TA and had vascular dementia. She was totally self funding.

Roll on two years she had a fall and broke her leg 18 months ago and now no longer walks and her confusion is much much worse and she has to have a lot of daily support.

Would it be worth having a CHC to see if the Local authorities would pay for any of her needs - or is this not how it works?

Also we are being called into the home to discuss her care plan. This is the first time due to covid so is there anything I need to look out for, discuss etc.

Worth applying for CHC but it’s a very high bar and from what you say it’s not clear that she’d get it. It’s not about needing care, it’s not about needing nursing decisions on a daily basis.

If she gets CHC, it’s the NHS that pays not the LA

Whether the LA pays depends on a financial assessment, if she has less than £23000 savings and a modest income, they will contribute. If she has more than £23000 savings then she’ll still be self funding, but in this case she can apply for Attendance Allowance which helps a little bit.

@MereDintofPandiculation is correct

Is she is in a residential home?
The home will let you know what has changed with the care support she needs at your meeting. It's good they are keeping you up to date.

If she's still self funding (over £23,250 in savings and assets including property) , Local authority ie adult services / adult health and care don't need to be involved.

In terms of applying for CHC - ask the care home, they'll tell you straight away whether they think your lovely mum's nursing or health care needs are anywhere near CHC level- and if so they can ask community nurse (if a RH) or if a NH can ask the local CCG (NHS) FNC assessor to complete CHC checklist which is the first screening stage.

CHC is solely health funding and criteria is set extremely high- only a tiny proportion of people are eligible for this.

In 2019 of the 39,000 applying -(& only usually those who we know will get positive Chc checklist which is first stage will have applications done) , only 3,600 of those were agreed as eligible for (standard) CHC funding. This is out of a U.K. population of just under 500 000 in care homes. (There's a higher proportion on fast track CHC but that's for end of life rapidly deteriorating in last few weeks - if a doctor feels they meet certain clinical criteria)

Thank you both so much.

We do get attendance allowance and she is fully self funding.

Ok it does seem unlikely that she will get CHC but we will ask in the meeting.

I really appreciate you both taking the time to explain it to me.

If she doesnt qualify for chc funding you can xan also ask about fnc funding which is a contribution towards any nursing needs which is paid directly to the home and should reduce the amount she pays. I would ask if the home are still able to meet her needs and if anyone has power of attorney.

Thank you MyThePawsbeWithYou I had not heard of fnc funding so will look into that.

@MayThePawsBeWithYou

If she doesnt qualify for chc funding you can xan also ask about fnc funding which is a contribution towards any nursing needs which is paid directly to the home and should reduce the amount she pays. I would ask if the home are still able to meet her needs and if anyone has power of attorney.

Fnc Won’t necessarily reduce fees. Our nursing home applies for it automatically, assumes everyone will get it and sets fees accordingly. If you don’t get it, you have to rely on district nurses not the home’s nursing staff.

It is like a minefield!

Thank you MereDintofPandiculation the information is so useful and gives me the right questions to ask the home.

caretobedifferent.co.uk/have-you-considered-nhs-funded-nursing-care-fnc/

as far as I knew, FNC is only payable for residents in a nursing home, not a residential home where registered nurses are not on duty