DEL 02

[DEL 02]

My wife is on Fast Track Care and is shortly to have a review to see if this Care is to continue. I'm not really sure how the Review process works and what I can expect? Does the Review process vary between local authorities? my Wife has Carers in four times a day (amounting to some 28 hours a week) to do personal care and give medication. She is unable to speak and needs help to move from her bed to a chair in the lounge, usually for a few hours in the afternoon, we live in a bungalow so that is still possible. I do all other tasks.

 

[Suzy C]

Hi Del
Do you mean continued health care? If you do read on.
My mother was put on fast track care for continued health care, before this she had social care input 4 times a day and we had a review after 6 months to see if it would continue. This review is normal and nothing to worry about.
First of all I had an hour long phone call with the person who fast tracked it. To see what was different, what was working, what wasn't etc. Then I was informed there would be a 3 way phone call with a nurse, a social worker and myself at a time we all agreed. This will usually take about one and a half hours so make sure you have a drink with you. You don't have to do anything, they ring you. Then you go through each step of her needs one by one and are asked to rate how much difficulty she has with each , i.e. feeding, washing, mobility and so on and all 3 of you agree on the severity of each point. Then the results are taken back to the team and you are informed about 3 months later of the outcome on writing. All the care continues in the meantime it will not suddenly stop. It is a question of them deciding whether it is social care or nhs who will be paying for the care.
Good luck.
Suzy C.

 

[DEL 02]

Hi Del
Do you mean continued health care? If you do read on.
My mother was put on fast track care for continued health care, before this she had social care input 4 times a day and we had a review after 6 months to see if it would continue. This review is normal and nothing to worry about.
First of all I had an hour long phone call with the person who fast tracked it. To see what was different, what was working, what wasn't etc. Then I was informed there would be a 3 way phone call with a nurse, a social worker and myself at a time we all agreed. This will usually take about one and a half hours so make sure you have a drink with you. You don't have to do anything, they ring you. Then you go through each step of her needs one by one and are asked to rate how much difficulty she has with each , i.e. feeding, washing, mobility and so on and all 3 of you agree on the severity of each point. Then the results are taken back to the team and you are informed about 3 months later of the outcome on writing. All the care continues in the meantime it will not suddenly stop. It is a question of them deciding whether it is social care or nhs who will be paying for the care.
Good luck.
Suzy C.

Hi Suzy, thanks for the info. It was very useful to hear how the review for your Mother included all aspects of her personal care. My Wife has heart failure as well as dementia and I had assumed that decisions about continuing health care would focus on the prognosis for the deterioration of her heart rather that her decline as a result of Alzheimer's.. We have had an informal discussion with someone from Continuing Healthcare and that covered a range of personal care issues as well as issues related to her heart problems. In due course a more detailed assessment is to be carried out including a district nurse and a social worker as well as myself and a family member if we wish. I did ask that our GP should be contacted as well as one of her usual Carers.
Thanks again and I hope things go well with your Mother's Care.
Del 02