The Personal Health Commissioning Service at NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is working extremely hard to source care for people who are eligible under NHS Continuing Healthcare.

We understand that people who are eligible for Continuing Healthcare have complex needs, and we are committed to making the best use of the resources available to us – sourcing safe and sustainable care packages to meet people’s needs.

Health and social care services continue to be stretched, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There is a continuing national shortage of health and care workers, and Dorset, like the rest of the country, is affected by this.

This could mean that it takes us longer to identify and source care, and it might mean that the care that we are able to offer is limited by this. For example, due to these constraints, it might not be possible to find care in a particular setting or with a specific provider. Please be reassured that we are doing our very best to source care at this time.

We are very grateful to our hard-working teams who are doing their very best during these challenging times nationally.

Thank you for your continued support, patience and understanding.

Frequently asked questions

NHS Continuing Healthcare is for people who are assessed as having a ‘primary health need’. Those individuals who are eligible will have their health and social care needs funded by the NHS. Those who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare tend to have complex health needs.

The Personal Health Commissioning Service at NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) works to source care for people who are eligible under NHS Continuing Healthcare. We understand that people who are eligible for Continuing Healthcare have complex needs. We are committed to making the best use of the resources available to us – sourcing safe and sustainable care packages to meet people’s needs.

This will depend on individual circumstances, the level of care required and the availability of care in the area in which you live. The team are working extremely hard to source the best sustainable care for people who are eligible.

Across the country, there is a national shortage of care workers currently and all health and care services are under extreme pressure due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The care you are offered will always be determined as clinically safe. Due to the restricted availability of care, the option provided will be the best that we are able to offer, maximising the use of available resources. This might mean that we might not be able to offer a particular provider or care setting, due to the wider constraints due to the national workforce shortages. You always have the right to decline care and to source and fund an alternative yourself should you decide to do so.

It is difficult to say when these pressures might ease given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

More information can be found on the  Personal Health Commissioning – NHS Dorset CCG website and in the Continuing Healthcare – Choice and Equity Policy.