Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the length of time required is for a Care Commissioning Group to respond to a continuing healthcare appeal.

The National Framework for Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care (October 2018) requires that all clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a local resolution process for responding to requests for reviews of Continuing Healthcare eligibility decisions.

The National Framework specifies that local resolution processes should initially involve an informal two-way meeting between the CCG and the individual or their representative. Where a formal meeting is required, this could result in the CCG requesting further information from other organisations.

Under the National Framework, CCGs are responsible for developing, delivering and publishing a resolution process which includes timescales.

The National Framework specifies that CCGs should deal with requests for review of eligibility decisions in a timely manner.

NHS England is responsible for holding CCGs to account if they are not following the National Framework.