Some children and young people under the age of 18 may have very complex health needs. These may be the result of congenital conditions, long-term or life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, disability, or the after-effects of serious illness or injury. Their needs may be so complex, that they cannot be met by the services which are routinely available from GP practices, hospitals or in the community.
Continuing care is not needed by children or young people whose needs can be met appropriately through existing universal or specialist services through a case management approach.
A children and young people’s health assessor and nurse specialist will assess a child’s eligibility for CCC funding and will arrange a bespoke package of care to meet the complex health needs of the child.
Where a child or young person is eligible for CCC they can receive their bespoke package of care via a personal health budget (PHB), commissioned complex health care provider and through jointly commissioned packages with Local Authorities.
Continuing care should be part of a wider package of care, agreed and delivered in collaboration between health, education, and social care.
The functions of the Children's Continuing Care team are to implement:
- Initial screening of referrals
- Coordinate assessment and information gathering
- Coordinate and chair Decision Support Tool (DST) meeting.
- Complete DST paperwork to determine eligibility or not and to feedback to referrer and family
- Promote PHB’s and facilitate as required (specific to locality area)
- Support the family to secure a package of care to meet the child’s assessed needs
- Present proposed package in a forum to seek funding approval by the LA and ICB
- Review new packages of care after 3 months
- Review eligibility for CCC annually
- Monitor and alter a care package if appropriate and to re -present in the forum for agreement.
- Provide Fast Track support for Children and Young People at the end of their lives and to implement a supportive package
In Redcar & Cleveland this service is provided by NHS North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) on behalf of NHS North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Further details can be found by emailing necsu.childrenscontinuingcare@nhs.net
More detailed information can be found on the National Framework at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-and-young-peoples-continuing-care-national-framework
Children's Continuing Care Funding
NHS Continuing Healthcare is a free package of continuing care provided outside hospital, arranged and funded by the NHS, for people with ongoing health needs.
Continuing care means care provided by health and social care professionals over an extended period of time, to meet an adult's physical or mental health needs caused by disability, accident or illness. You can get continuing healthcare in any setting including your own home, a hospice or care home.
If you need continuing care, your care needs are likely to be complex, substantial and ongoing, caused by disability or chronic illness, or following hospital treatment. It is not dependent on any particular disease, diagnosis or medical condition and is for anyone assessed as needing a certain level of health care.
Continuing care could include:-
- healthcare provided by the NHS via for example, your GP
- social and community care services provided by local authorities, for example personal care at home, the provision of meals, accessing day centre facilities or care provided in a care home
To confirm eligibility, your health would need to be assessed by a health professional. Their assessment will look at the treatment you receive, your symptoms, how severe your condition is and if there are any unexpected changes in condition that are difficult to manage and present a risk to you or to others. If your overall care needs show that your primary need is a health one, you should qualify for continuing healthcare. NHS Continuing Healthcare may also include support provided for your carer.
For further information and guidance, please contact your GP or the healthcare professional involved in your care.