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- Member
Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:31 am
I have been dealing with my mother's deterioration in hospital over the last few months and then discovered I had to deal with this flaming funding issue- the NHS staff decide whether my mother should have NHS funding for her care for her conditions of ALzheimer's vascular dementia and tumour in the brain. Four months ago she was walking around and making her tea and now she is bed bound and doubly incontinent.
I was told politely by the panel, who took all of ten minutes to decide, that my mother would only get nursing funding not conintuing care - this means the NHS only pay £101 per week toward care but only as long as she goes into a home - but we want her to stay at home so in fact she does not have any assistance at home from NHS funding. The issue of NHS funding is all the more important when people have their own property.
The thing is that try as I might I could not get down to the nitty gritty - I got out the national guidance, I found the local PCT info on the process; they use ten criteria to assess the risk an inidividual poses and then score them. The thing is I cant' find where the PCT defines what score will result in continuing care - it is hardly a transparent process. I understand from the Alzheimer's Society who were great by the way and very supportive, that one can appeal this decision even after the death of the person whom it concerns !
But even if you want to appeal realistically you need the medical records - I have been told, even though I have been through their specific record requesting procedure that they cannot give me a copy of the file while it's on the ward.
Does any one else have any tips ! I am going crazy with the red tape.
I was told politely by the panel, who took all of ten minutes to decide, that my mother would only get nursing funding not conintuing care - this means the NHS only pay £101 per week toward care but only as long as she goes into a home - but we want her to stay at home so in fact she does not have any assistance at home from NHS funding. The issue of NHS funding is all the more important when people have their own property.
The thing is that try as I might I could not get down to the nitty gritty - I got out the national guidance, I found the local PCT info on the process; they use ten criteria to assess the risk an inidividual poses and then score them. The thing is I cant' find where the PCT defines what score will result in continuing care - it is hardly a transparent process. I understand from the Alzheimer's Society who were great by the way and very supportive, that one can appeal this decision even after the death of the person whom it concerns !
But even if you want to appeal realistically you need the medical records - I have been told, even though I have been through their specific record requesting procedure that they cannot give me a copy of the file while it's on the ward.
Does any one else have any tips ! I am going crazy with the red tape.
