Funding

[Missodell18]

Hi

Apologies for these questions as I’m sure they’ve been asked a hundred times before.

My mum who has late stage Alzheimer’s and other health issues was in a residential care home on local authority rate and paying a top up (her pension).

After recent hospitalisation the care home said they couldn’t meet her needs and she would need a nursing home. She went into one which was “free for 28 days” but ended up being hospitalised again after only a few days. As she’s been in hospital a week the nursing home would not hold the room for her for longer than 5 days.

Our social worker says the case is closed and she’s no longer assigned to my mum. Social services (person on the main number) says my mum IS still assigned to the same social worker.

The other nursing home was quite far from where we live. We were told there was no other space closer to home. Since that nursing home has booted us out, I’ve contacted some nursing homes closer to us and 3 have space and are willing to take LA funding and can meet my mums needs but we need funding sorted. Social services are waiting for the hospital, the hospital have done a trusted assessment (finally) but now my mum is being checked for an infection she may have picked up while being in hospital (today) so this is now delayed.

I’ve requested she be considered for CHC funding too. Social services is told me the nurses at the hospital need to do the checklist assessment. The nurses tell me that social services need to do this now. Which one is it?

Is there anything else I can do to try and sort out the nursing home funding so we can get the discharge through quicker? My mum was fit for discharge a couple of days ago when there was no where for her to go. No wonder the NHS never has available beds with all this endless trail of forms and assessments and stuff.

 

[yoy]

When I asked the hospital about a CHC assessment for my dad they told me this cannot be done in the hospital because it's not a realistic environment to assess his needs. They said it had to be done in his own home or a care home setting, so he was transferred to a nursing home. However within 4 days he was back in hospital ....... that's where my experience of CHC ends. I can only suggest you make sure the hospital social workers know about the homes you have spoken to so they can contact them when your mum is fit for discharge again. It is common for things to keep getting delayed by things like infections etc.

 

[Dave63]

Social services is told me the nurses at the hospital need to do the checklist assessment. The nurses tell me that social services need to do this now. Which one is it?

The nurses are correct. Checklist assessments should not be carried out in acute settings such as hospitals. There are many things which can mask a persons true needs whilst in a hospital environment, especially for the elderly.

The government guidance on assessments is:

Screening and assessment of eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare should be at the right time and location for the individual, and when the individual’s ongoing needs are clearer.

I'm sure others will be able to advise on the LA funding aspect as I'm not particularly up on that side of things.

CHC CHECKLIST - What is it and how does it work?

What is the CHC CHECKLIST? If you have a relative with complex or challenging healthcare needs, they may be eligible for Funding...

caretobedifferent.co.uk

 

[Kevinl]

It also depends what country of the UK you're in I understand.
K

 

[nitram]

My mum who has late stage Alzheimer’s and other health issues was in a residential care home on local authority rate and paying a top up (her pension).

Something amiss here, DWP pension is used to reduce council contribution to the amount it pays.
It can't be top up using a private pension as first party top ups are not allowed.

Our social worker says the case is closed and she’s no longer assigned to my mum. Social services (person on the main number) says my mum IS still assigned to the same social worker.

Email head of social services explaining your concern asking for a social worker to be allocated, send copy to CEO

 

[Missodell18]

Something amiss here, DWP pension is used to reduce council contribution to the amount it pays.
It can't be top up using a private pension as first party top ups are not allowed.

Email head of social services explaining your concern asking for a social worker to be allocated, send copy to CEO

Thank you for your advice. Maybe I’m using the wrong terminology. The council paid the care home and then invoiced us for a contribution, which was my mums pension amount (minus about £20 for personal use). It made up around 20% of the care home bill.

Thanks for your advice about the social worker. I will do that this morning

 

[Missodell18]

It also depends what country of the UK you're in I understand.
K

We’re in North Yorkshire. It comes under North Yorkshire county council.

 

[Missodell18]

The nurses are correct. Checklist assessments should not be carried out in acute settings such as hospitals. There are many things which can mask a persons true needs whilst in a hospital environment, especially for the elderly.

The government guidance on assessments is:

Screening and assessment of eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare should be at the right time and location for the individual, and when the individual’s ongoing needs are clearer.

I'm sure others will be able to advise on the LA funding aspect as I'm not particularly up on that side of things.

CHC CHECKLIST - What is it and how does it work?

What is the CHC CHECKLIST? If you have a relative with complex or challenging healthcare needs, they may be eligible for Funding...

caretobedifferent.co.uk

Thank you

 

[Missodell18]

When I asked the hospital about a CHC assessment for my dad they told me this cannot be done in the hospital because it's not a realistic environment to assess his needs. They said it had to be done in his own home or a care home setting, so he was transferred to a nursing home. However within 4 days he was back in hospital ....... that's where my experience of CHC ends. I can only suggest you make sure the hospital social workers know about the homes you have spoken to so they can contact them when your mum is fit for discharge again. It is common for things to keep getting delayed by things like infections etc.

Thanks for your suggestions