NHS continuing health care (also known as NHS continuing care and fully funded NHS care) is a package of care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. It is awarded depending on whether a person's primary need is a health need. It can be provided in a range of settings, including an NHS hospital, a care home or someone's own home.
So? Why is this important?
Within England in 2010, approximately 47,000 patients will receive 100% NHS funded 'Continuing Healthcare' to pay for the care that they need. However, it is estimated that another 100,000 people are entitled to this funding and will be unfairly denied access; often due to heavy-handed tactics of local authorities and Primary Care Trusts (PCT's).If an average care home bed costs £500 per week, this totals £26,000, per person, per year. If the government were to pay for the 100,000 extra patients that are entitled to this funding, this would cost local authorities an additional £2.6 billion per year.
The UK office of National Statistics predicts that the UK's population will continue to age and, as life expectancy increases, it is predicted that there will be 1.7million people suffering with dementia by 2051. It is clear that the government, both at a national and local level, is worried about meeting such a financial burden for the healthcare care costs associated with so many people.
It is my firm belief that there are coordinated efforts being undertaken at the local authority level to supress public awareness of their entitlement to free healthcare. You will often hear of stories in the media of people being forced to sell their homes to pay for their healthcare.
This website is designed to help increase public awareness of the processes and policies that our government applies. It is my hope, that it will be of assistance to anyone seeking NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding.
www.serveronecare.com 2010-2011 Contact Jamie Whitehouse at serveronecare@live.co.uk Pages Last Updated: June 1st, 2010
