Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to ensure that applications for Continuing Healthcare are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

From 2015/16 NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) has been included in the assurance processes for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This will help NHS England be assured of CCG compliance with the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care (November 2012) (revised) (the National Framework).

One of the priority areas for the Assurance process to focus on is that the ‘Assessment and Decision making processes are lawful, high quality and timely’. This ensures that CCG policies and procedures are compliant with the National Framework as well as the consistency of NHS CHC assessments across the National Health Service.

NHS England will work closely with CCGs where it has been identified, via the assurance process, that further support is needed.