What is Continuing Health Care?
NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) is a package of care provided outside of hospital. It is arranged and funded by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) for people aged 18 years and over who have significant ongoing healthcare needs and have been assessed as having a ‘primary health need’.
People who are assessed for CHC include those who need a very high level of support. Some people may be reaching the end of their lives, or have long-term conditions as a result of a disability, accident or illness. When someone is assessed as eligible for CHC, their local ICB is responsible for funding their full package of health and social care.
This means that the ICB will find suitable care to meet someone’s assessed needs. The ICB will always try to give options and choices that best match the patient and family’s preferences for the type and place of care provided.
Who is eligible for NHS continuing healthcare?
For example someone eligible:
- Could have long-term conditions due to a disability, illness or accident
- Or could be reaching the end of their lives
The ICB will find the most suitable care package to meet your assessed needs in any setting, such:
- In your own home: services from a community nurse and personal care, such as help with bathing and dressing.
- In a care home: as well as healthcare and personal care, the NHS will pay for your care home fees, including board and accommodation.
How is continuing healthcare assessed?
In order to receive NHS CHC funding, individuals have to be assessed by North Central London ICB according to a legally prescribed decision-making process to determine whether the individual has a ‘primary health need’.
If you would like to have a continuing healthcare assessment for yourself, a family member or for a person you care for, you can speak to:
- Your social worker (if applicable)
- A member of the clinical team involved in your care
If you have been assessed for continuing healthcare and are unsatisfied with the outcome of the assessment, you can appeal by email – nclicb.chcappeals@nhs.net
Please see our appeals policy with further details about our local appeals process by clicking here.
On occasion, our Local Authority partners may dispute the ICB’s decision following an assessment. To ensure that these disputes are processed fairly and with due consideration, we have developed a dispute policy, agreed with all 5 of our NCL local authority boroughs. A copy of our policy can be accessed by clicking here.
If you are a Continuing Healthcare client funded by North Central London ICB and you have a query about your care provider you should contact your named nurse.
If you require further information or support with your package of care then please email the Complex Individualised Commissioning team on nclicb.cicchccommissioning@nhs.net
Barnet, Camden and Enfield CHC Team
Email: nclicb.chc@nhs.net
Tel: 020 3198 9743
Working Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00 (excluding bank holidays)
Haringey CHC Team
Email: whh-tr.continuingcare1@nhs.net
Tel: 020 3198 9743
Working Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00 (excluding bank holidays)
Islington CHC Team
The Islington continuing healthcare (CHC) service is jointly commissioned with Islington Council. There are three teams responsible for the delivery of continuing healthcare in Islington:
- The CHC Clinical Team carries out assessments to determine if they are eligible for continuing healthcare. The team also provides regular reviews of people receiving continuing healthcare.
- The CHC Adults Resource Team sources and puts in place care packages in people’s homes, nursing homes and other settings following determination of eligibility for continuing healthcare.
- The CHC Commissioning Team is responsible for the financial management of continuing healthcare, including contract monitoring and quality assurance. The team is also responsible for managing payments to providers and for setting indicative budgets for those in receipt of Personal Health Budgets (PHB). My Support Money/Brokerage Service supports the commissioning team in operational delivery of PHBs.
The Clinical Team and the Resource Team are based at Whittington Health who we commission to provide a number of clinical functions related to continuing healthcare.
Whittington Health delivers the service via two teams:
- Continuing Health Care Nursing team – who can be contacted via email: continuingcare3@nhs.net or tel: 020 3198 9743. Working Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00 (excluding bank holidays)
- District Nursing team
Weekend & Bank Holiday NCL CHC Contact
Email: nclicb.d2a@nhs.net
This email is only in use over the weekend and on bank holidays. The team only deals with urgent fast-track referrals and supporting discharges from hospital. For all other enquiries please continue to use the above contact details provided for each borough to be actioned during normal working hours.
Links
NHS & DH web pages
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/healthcare/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/nhs-continuing-healthcare/
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/personal-health-budgets/personal-health-budgets-in-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-continuing-care-for-children/
Redress Guidance
PUPOC closedown
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/final-deadline-approaches-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-claims
- Previously Unassessed Period of Care (PUPoC) Post 2012 (Adults Only) from April 1 2024
Beacon advocacy
- NHS England recognises that information and support are vital to all individuals involved in the CHC process and so has funded an independent information and advice service through a social enterprise called Beacon. This service is supported by a consortium of leading voluntary sector organisations including Age UK, Parkinson’s UK and the Spinal Injuries Association.
- Information and advice is accessible in the form of free and comprehensive written guidance, and individuals are also able to access up to 90 minutes of free advice with a trained NHS continuing healthcare adviser 0345 548 0300.
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- For further information and to access this service please see the Beacon website: http://www.beaconchc.co.uk/
- DH public information leaflet
- CHC easy read document – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care-easy-read
- Children CC information – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-and-young-peoples-continuing-care-national-framework
- Information about Personal health budgets in NHS Continuing Healthcare and continuing care for children
- Adults who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, and children in receipt of continuing care have had a legal right to have a personal health budget since October 2014. By April 2019, NHS England expects that unless there are exceptional circumstances, everyone living in their own home who is in receipt of standard CHC funding will have a personal health budget.