NHS Continuing Healthcare is fundamentally a ‘whole system’ issue requiring leadership across and within statutory agencies in order to ensure that the needs of individuals who might have a primary health need are properly assessed and addressed. These individuals are, by definition, some of the most vulnerable in our society and it is vital that systems deliver a person-centred approach to the wide variety of situations that NHS Continuing Healthcare encompasses. Strong system leadership is therefore critical to the successful implementation of this National Framework.

The course aims to ensure that senior staff and managers have a detailed understanding of NHS Continuing Healthcare to enable them to guide and challenge front line staff on how to apply the framework lawfully and ethically to establish whether a person has a legal right to NHS Continuing Healthcare due to having a “primary health need”. The course will also explore how to promote a person-centred, rights driven approach which demands defensible, evidence based decision making from practitioners.

Key learning outcomes

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

• Provide greater clarity to front line staff on how to interpret the Framework to ensure lawful, ethical, defendable eligibility decisions.
• Explore and explain the duties and responsibilities of the LA under the Care Act 2014 to include the specific requirements around the duties to co-operate, provide advice and assistance and work in partnership with the ICB.
• Explain the duties and responsibilities of the new Integrated Care Boards under the Health and Care Act 2022 in respect of NHS CHC.
• Integrate this policy with the new “Discharge to Assess” model taking account of the changes to The Care Act 2014 Section 74, Schedule 3 Discharge of Hospital patients with care and support needs.
• Align the NHS CHC process with consent and principles of MCA to include best interest decision making.
• Explain to staff how to resolve inter agency disputes.