Are you paying nursing or care home fees?
If you or a family member is in a nursing home due to physical or mental health difficulties you could be eligible to have your care home fees paid by the NHS. You may also be entitled to reclaim nursing home fees you have paid in the past.
A ruling by the Court of Appeal and Health Services Ombudsman states that many of the criteria which were used for assessing whether care home fees should be paid by the NHS do not meet legal requirements.
Reclaim fees - Free confidential assessment
Find out if we can help you reclaim your nursing and care home fees by getting a free assessment of your situation now. If you are eligible for a refund of past or future payments we will take your case on a no win no fee basis.
Types of NHS Healthcare
There are 2 types of healthcare:
- Continuing Healthcare
- Funded Nursing Care
NHS Continuing Healthcare
This is a package of services arranged and funded by the NHS for people outside hospital for ongoing health needs. This healthcare is free. It can be provided in your home or in a care home. If you are a resident in a care home the NHS will pay your fees including board and accommodation.
Who is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare?
If your overall care needs show that your primary need is a health one you should qualify for continuing healthcare. This will be assessed by 4 key indicators:
- nature – the type of condition or treatment required including quality and quantity
- complexity – symptoms that interact, making them difficult to manage or control
- intensity – one or more needs which are so serve that they require regular interventions
- unpredictability – unexpected changes in your condition that are difficult to manage and present a risk to you or to others
NHS Funded Nursing Care
The NHS is responsible for any care that must be provided by a registered nurse. Due to the fact that care homes themselves often employ registered nurses it means that the NHS makes a payment to the care home to cover the cost of providing the care for those who are eligible.
Who is eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care?
You are eligible if:
- you have been assessed as requiring the services of a registered nurse
- you do not qualify for NHS continuing healthcare but do require the services of a registered nurse
- you are not receiving registered nursing care in any other way
Assessments
- Everyone has the right to a fair and consistent assessment of their care needs
- At the outset, you will be screened to determine whether fast-tracking is required (eg does the care package need to be set up quickly for those with a short-term life expectancy)
- If screening shows you may qualify for full NHS funding you will need to undergo a full assessment of your physical, mental, psychological and emotional needs
- Once this assessment has been done the NHS will discuss the care planning process with you and your family members if appropriate on how best to manage your care
- You are entitled to a review of your care needs after 3 months and then at least every year
Find out if you qualify for free NHS nursing or care home fees
Get a free assessment by contacting our specialist team of solicitors now on 0808 129 3320 or by completing our online enquiry form and see if you could reclaim fees.
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