Continuing Care is organised differently for children and young people than for adults and is governed by the Department of Health National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care.

A continuing care package will be required when a child or young person has needs arising from disability, accident or illness that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services alone. Continuing care does not cover children and young people with care needs that may be met appropriately through existing universal or specialist health services.

How to apply

If you think your child is eligible for NHS Continuing Care support please contact your Community Children’s Nurse or Social Worker for advice. They will make a referral to NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) if appropriate.

Process

Set out below is the application process to assess eligibility for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, however further information about the application and decision making process can be found in Continuing Care Support information leaflet.

  • We require parental consent to enable us to gather relevant information from professionals involved in your child’s care

  • Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting will be arranged where a full multiagency action plan will be developed and a Continuing Care Decision Support Tool (DST) completed. Parents are invited to attend

  • The MDT make a recommendation regarding eligibility and care packages which along with all of the gathered information is sent to the CCG

  • The CCG will make a decision based on all the supporting evidence and information received from parents, carers and the professionals involved in your child’s care

  • Everyone involved will be informed in writing of the decision along with a full rationale

  • The whole process from referral to decision should not take longer than 28 working days

  • To ensure that decisions are fair and equitable decisions are audited twice yearly by a multidisciplinary panel at the CCG

Review of eligibility decision

The CCG would like to make sure that you find it as easy as possible to request a review of a continuing care support eligibility decision. We will ensure that reviews are acted on fairly and resolved quickly.

Reasons for review of a decision:

  • If you disagree with the continuing care eligibility decision

  • If you believe that you have not been offered sufficient health care respite

You can request a review of an eligibility decision by writing to:

Children and Young People’s Continuing Care Case Manager,
NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group,
Vespasian House,
Barrack Road,
Dorchester,
DT1 1TG

For further information please read the Children and Young People’s Continuing Care Support – Review Eligibility Decision leaflet.