Continuing Care

Continuing Healthcare is ‘care provided over an extended period of time to a person aged 18 or over to meet physical or mental health need as a result of disability accident or illness’.

NHS Continuing Healthcare ‘means a package of care arranged and funded solely by the NHS’

People with very complex Care needs who do not or no longer require hospital inpatient care have their ongoing care needs met by the PCT or Social Services or a combination of both. This care can be provided either by placement in a nursing care home or specialist placement, or by provision of a package of care in the community, in addition to the standard services provided or commissioned in the community by the PCT and Social Services.

This group of patients are the most vulnerable due to their complex health and social care needs therefore the PCT and Social care have responsibilities to ensure that the care commissioned will meet the person’s care needs in a clinically effective way and ensure that risks are minimised therefore ensuring patient safety.

• Checklist guidance
• DST
• DST guidance
• Fastrack
• Fastrack guidance
• National Framework
• National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS
• NHS continuing health care and NHS funded care booklet