The Department of Health has announced that any remaining “retrospective review” cases with respect to NHS Continuing Care should be raised with the relevant NHS body on or by 30th November 2007.  Such cases are currently considered under a process active ever since an Ombudsman’s Report was published in 2003 which suggested the potential for such reviews.

NHS Continuing Healthcare is a type of funding where a person needs long term care, because their primary need is a health need, rather than mainly a social or residential care requirement.  If someone is eligible, then the NHS pays all the costs incurred for their care.  If the care required is of a more residential nature, then the patient or their relatives may have paid a contribution towards the cost.

In 2003 the Ombudsman found that nationally the NHS had incorrectly interpreted the policy guidelines in a number of cases, and some people had therefore been incorrectly charged for their care.  The NHS reviewed their systems and corrected them, often redrafting and republishing their policy guidance.  As a result of this, a large number of patients whose care had predominantly been before April 2004, or their relatives, applied for the funding for their care packages to be reassessed to ascertain eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding.

Most people affected by this have now made their application and the review systems established are beginning to wind down.  To ensure all relevant cases can be dealt with effectively, any remaining challenges to decisions that were made before April 2004, where the majority or all of the care was before April 2004, should be lodged on or by 30th November 2007 wherever possible. Please note that all other cases will continue to be dealt with in the normal way

If you think you may be eligible, you should contact Sally Beacock the Continuing Healthcare Lead at North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus, by telephone on 01472 302872 or by e-mail sally.beacock@nelctp.nhs.uk.  Please leave your name, address and a contact telephone number and an information pack will be forwarded to you.