Sunday, February 14, 2010

Care Plan ( continuing care) by PCT's

I have been directed to the following article

Anger over Norfolk care plan
SARAH BREALEY
Last updated: 13/02/2010 08:00:00
The NHS has been accused of splitting families up to save money as part of plans to put people with serious long-term health problems into nursing homes.

The NHS in Norfolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney is trying to save money on what it calls “continuing care”. A consultation has just started on new policies, which says that in future people will not usually get NHS continuing healthcare at home, only in a nursing home or hospice.

The health trusts say they want to focus on clinical safety, and that it is getting too expensive to provide continuing care. The cost for this care for the year ending in April is expected to be £31.1m, up from £13.2m two years ago, and the changes will save an estimated £1m.

In future people will not be able to have a care option paid for by the NHS if it is more than 20pc more expensive than the cheapest option. This will rule out some nursing homes and will almost always rule out care at home, which costs £8,000 a month on average compared with £4,100 for the average nursing home.

The changes apply to people who get NHS continuing healthcare because their “primary need” has been judged to be healthcare, not social care like help with getting up, washing or eating. People who have care from social services rather than NHS care will not be affected.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the question is how long before this becomes a nation wide approach to this issue by all PCT's ?

1 comment:

  1. Great points on the financial issues between care at home and in a nursing home. Keep on posting great articles. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete