What is the National framework for NHS continuing healthcare?
The Department of Health produced guidance that sets out a system for deciding eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare. This is called the National framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care.
The Framework sets out the factors that are considered to decide whether someone meets the criteria for NHS continuing healthcare
Alzheimer's Society campaigned for many years for national eligibility criteria for NHS continuing healthcare and therefore welcomed the introduction of the Framework.
However, NHS England do not record diagnosis details in their statistics. We have no figures for how many people with dementia are successful in claiming CHC, compared to how many are turned down. We do know that applicants experiences can vary, with notable discrepancies from the length of process to the overall amount of successful claims in each geographical area.
When does the NHS pay for care?
Our booklet When does the NHS pay for care? explains what NHS continuing healthcare is, how to get an assessment and how to appeal if you think you have been wrongly charged for care.
Applying for NHS continuing healthcare is not an easy process to go through or to understand. Eligibility is based on an individual’s healthcare need not a diagnosis and we cannot tell you whether a person with dementia will be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.
The guidance applies to people in England. Wales has its own guidance which is very similar but much will also be applicable to people in other parts of the UK.
