NHS Continuing Healthcare deadline looms
Published on 14 October 2016 06:00 AM
A Welsh Government deadline to claim back money people paid for care which they should have had for free is drawing closer.
The 31 October cut-off date applies where people were eligible for so-called free ‘NHS continuing healthcare', but did not receive it.
It covers cases where people with physical or mental health care needs should have had their care for free between 1 October 2014 and 30 October 2015.
We're working with Hugh James Nursing Care, a team of Cardiff-based solicitors, to raise public awareness of the deadline.
"Families often wrongly pay care fees in cases where someone needs care due to physical or mental health reasons and may in fact be eligible for free NHS continuing healthcare" says Age Cymru's Policy Advisor, Dr Rosanne Palmer.
"However with little information out there about NHS continuing healthcare - and what is there can be contradictory , families are often unaware of the scheme and so are led to believe that they should shoulder the costs themselves, which can quickly add up to several thousands of pounds."
"Claiming retrospective NHS continuing healthcare eligibility is a minefield at the best of times" says Lisa Morgan, partner at Hugh James, "And recent changes in policy around the scheme only adds to the confusion and does nothing to support families during what is already a traumatic and stressful time."