Northwich man may be ‘forced’ to receive continuing care in a home

The Northwich Guardian reports that local resident Philip Leather may have to move into a care home because he has qualified for NHS-funded continuing care and it is the cheapest option for funding his care. At present, he is cared for at home by three carers who provide 24 hour care, costing around £1,700 per week. A care home place would cost £700 and Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT are insisting that this is the only option for Mr Leather. But his two daughters are adamant that he should not move into a home. Mr Leather suffers from multiple sclerosis, diabetes and dementia and is totally dependent on carers. His daughters fear that he will not receive the one-to-one care that he currently receives if he moves into a care home and that this will cause his health to suffer. Tracy Philips told the Guardian: ‘I would remortgage my house and pay myself before he goes in a home…He needs one-to-one care. If he’s in his own bungalow he’s happy and keeps fighting – he’s quite strong-willed. Before he had 24-hour care he was in a home but he wouldn’t eat. He just goes downhill.’

This case highlights a recurring problem for some patients receiving continuing care. The National Framework for Continuing Care states that the current location of care should not be taken into account during the continuing care assessment process. However, if the patient is deemed eligible for funding then the NHS has the right to decide where care should be provided. The National Framework does recommend that the wishes of the patient and their family be taken into account where possible, but the PCT is not obliged to consider these. You can find out more about this issue in our factsheet: ‘When a patient has qualified for continuing care.’ You may also like to read about the 2003 Pointon case in our ‘Key court & Ombudsman cases’ factsheet where Malcolm Pointon was eventually (and unexpectedly) awarded NHS funding for care at home after a lengthy battle with his PCT on multiple issues surrounding his care and its funding.