Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to help support people with dementia to complete the NHS continuing healthcare application.

People who may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) should be referred for a screening and assessment process as appropriate by a health or social care professional. The process is undertaken by the integrated care board and should follow a person-centred approach, placing the individual at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process. Someone with specialist knowledge of their condition should also be involved in the assessment process. Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis or condition, or financial means.

Individuals who are being considered for CHC should be provided with a copy of the public information leaflet along with relevant contact details and information about local processes. NHS England has also commissioned Beacon to provide independent and high-quality support for individuals and their families. A copy of the leaflet is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care-public-information-leaflet/public-information-leaflet-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care--2