If you or a loved one has Parkinson’s and you are fighting for Continuing Health Care funding you need to read this.
It’s tough enough supporting a person with Parkinson’s without having to fight for Continuing Health Care. (CHC)
CHC means that it’s been decided that a person has a primary health need so the cost of their care is fully paid for by the NHS. So, for example if someone has cancer or a cardiovascular condition, the NHS will pick up the bill for all their care needs.
But if a person has Parkinson’s, they may find that they are unfairly refused Continuing Health Care.
If your loved one has been told they are not entitled to CHC because they have Parkinson’s – you need to speak to us.
At Steene Law we fight unfair CHC decisions every day. It is shocking that people are wrongly told that their condition means they do not qualify for CHC.
Why is this happening?
That’s a good question!
The NHS should treat people equally but, sadly, an NHS postcode lottery exists. Depending on the part of the country you live in and which Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) looks after your area, you may or may not receive CHC.
To make matters worse the forms that social services use, to decide whether a person’s health needs mean they should receive CHC, are a blunt tool – meaning that people who should get free care are being WRONGLY told they don’t qualify for CHC.
Why is it so difficult to get the NHS to pay for Continuing Health Care (CHC)?
According to a recent Government study, 60 per cent of people don’t even know that CHC exists.
Healthcare professionals – the people we trust to help us – are not telling people about CHC.
Scandalously, only 3 per cent of people were told by their GP about CHC. A further 11 per cent found out through a social worker – which we think is also a worryingly low figure.
Why are people with Parkinson’s being wrongly told they don’t qualify for CHC?
Parkinson’s is a serious health condition, yet because of the way that the NHS and Local Authorities have evolved, there is confusion over who should pick up the bill for health care needs.
That means people with Parkinson’s are seeing their lifetime of savings needlessly swallowed up by care fees.
Despite paying their taxes all their lives, they’re being told they don’t qualify for free care.
If you think that’s unfair – we agree!
The good news is there is something you can do about it. If you or your loved one has Parkinson’s and you’ve been turned down for CHC, speak to the expert team at Steene Law.
We have helped people with Parkinson’s appeal and successfully overturn unfair CHC decisions.
Call us now on 0203 653 0623 for a FREE conversation and we’ll help you fight to overturn unfair CHC decisions.
*This week marks Parkinson’s Awareness Week which encompasses World Parkinson’s Day, and takes place this year on Wednesday, April 10th.
Each year, the charity, Parkinson’s UK, continues its incredible work to ensure that they use the event to reach more people that are affected by the condition – directly or through a loved one.