Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish their planned refresh of the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

The updated National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and National Health Service-funded Nursing Care was published on 1 March 2018, and will be implemented on 1 October 2018. The current National Framework, published in November 2012, will continue to be in place until that time.

This revised 2018 National Framework follows an extensive period of external engagement with stakeholders, across the NHS, local authorities, and patient representative groups. The 2018 National Framework has been collaboratively written by the Department, NHS England and local authorities.

The update incorporates a new structure that is intended to provide clarity, reflect legislative changes such as the Care Act 2014, and includes minor clarifications on policy areas. Importantly, none of the 2018 amendments and clarifications to the National Framework are intended to change the eligibility criteria for NHS Continuing Healthcare.