NHS Continuing Healthcare is a very complex area of work but one which all professionals working in health and social care need to understand.

The aim of this course is to provide delegates who have some knowledge of NHS Continuing Healthcare with a detailed overview of the law underpinning CHC and the process end to end. The course will integrate the importance of a person centred approach, consent, capacity and best interest decision making. The duties of the ICB will be explored along with the role of the LA to enable professionals to avoid the pitfalls in the decision-making process to ensure they carry out their role effectively and to best practice standards.

Delegates will consider the screening and assessment process, as well as the process of reviews and appeals of continuing care decisions.

The course will be delivered in line with the Health and Care Act 2022 and the new NHS CHC National Framework 2022.

Key Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course delegates will be able to: 

• Identify individuals who may have a “primary health need” and understand the importance of engaging the individual and their representatives in the CHC process.
• Describe the concept of “primary health need” and apply the concept to case examples to understand when the quality and quantity of care is beyond the scope of the LA’s limits to provide.
• Understand the ICB’s duties and responsibilities to co-ordinate the process from completion of checklist to decision on funding and finalisation of care plan.
• Understand and apply the key principles of assessment and decision-making to practice examples in CHC cases.
• Integrate the importance of a person centred approach, consent, capacity and best interest decision making into the assessment process for NHS CHC.
• Examine the importance of the role of advocacy and recognise the powers and duties of the LPA and Deputy for Health and Welfare in the NHS CHC process.
• Examine the Decision Support Tool with a detailed look at the domains with practical examples.
• Examine the importance of creating and collating evidence which will contribute to clear reasoned evidence based decisions.
• Explain the role the ICB has in care planning and case management.
• Identify when and how joint funding may be appropriate where CHC eligibility is not established.
• Identify and correctly challenge CHC decisions by initiating and progressing dispute resolution between agencies.