NHS continuing healthcare

If you, or the person you care for, has advanced Parkinson's with a high level of healthcare needs, it may be worth looking at whether CHC is available to you.

This care is free, without a means-test and can cover care in a nursing home or in your own home.

It can enable people with Parkinson's and their family to finance the full package of care needed.

NHS continuing healthcare is not available in Northern Ireland and Scotland. 

Am I eligible for NHS continuing healthcare funding?

• To be eligible, your care needs must be primarily 'complex healthcare needs' (and the responsibility of the NHS) and beyond the scope of local authority social care services.
• A diagnosis of Parkinson's does not guarantee CHC funding.

CHC can be a vital resource, but this distinction, between needing healthcare or social care, is one of several complicated aspects.

The CHC assessment process 

There is no application form – instead, professionals, such as a social worker, occupational therapist, Parkinson's nurse or nursing home staff, carry out an assessment of the care needs. If you can't get someone to do an assessment, you can ask the integrated care board (or local health board in Wales) to appoint someone who can.

This is firstly through the NHS continuing healthcare checklist.

Then a team gather the evidence in the Decision support tool for NHS continuing healthcare, before making a recommendation to the integrated care board or local health board who finally decide.

The knowledge and evidence of family and carers can be vital. If funding is not recommended, you can ask for a copy of the papers, and seek a review or appeal.

The integrated care board or local health board review the funding after 3 months, and then annually, as it's not permanent funding.

Parkinson's UK partnership with Beacon in England

We have developed a partnership with Beacon in England, a not-for-profit agency expert in continuing healthcare, as our helpline regularly takes calls on this topic.

With Beacon's extensive experience and expertise, and our specialist knowledge of living with Parkinson's, we can ensure that callers receive the best quality advice and support.

If you have any questions about continuing healthcare or other aspects of support with care, please contact our free confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303.