On 15 March 2012, the Department of Health announced the introduction of deadlines for new cases which require assessment of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding.
The deadlines apply to previously un-assessed periods of care, which occurred in the following time periods:
| Time Period |
|
|
Deadline |
| 1st April 2004 – 30th September 2007 |
|
|
30th September 2012 |
| 1st October 2007 – 31st March 2011 |
|
|
30th September 2012 |
| 1st April 2011 – 31st March 2012 |
|
|
31st March 2013 |
The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare was introduced in 2007 (and revised in 2009) to ensure a nationally consistent process for consideration of NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility, including the identification of individuals who might require an assessment for eligibility. This announcement introduces a process which will enable any individuals who should have been assessed from 1st April 2004 to 31st March 2012 to be identified and considered as soon as possible.
Click here to access frequently asked questions on NHS Continuing Healthcare timescales on the Department of Health website.
A similar process was conducted in 2007 to ensure that cases which occurred before 1st April 2004 were dealt with in a timely manner.
It is important that PCTs are notified as soon as possible about people that should have been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare in the past because as time passes, detailed recorded evidence of the individual’s needs for the period of time in question may no longer be available.
If you live in Gateshead, South Tyneside or Sunderland and would like more information please call 0800 731 23 26 or email: pals@sotw.nhs.uk.