NHS all age continuing care

People with primary health care needs may qualify for free NHS funded care which is beyond that provided by core NHS services and what social care are able to provide. For adults 18 and over, this is called NHS continuing healthcare. For children and young people up to the age of 17, this is called NHS continuing care. Both are based on national frameworks, which explain who qualify.

For adults: National framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care

For children and young people: Children and young people’s continuing care national framework. 

You can also find out more about NHS continuing healthcare on the NHS website.

Funded nursing care

There is another type of funding known as ‘funded nursing care’. This is where the NHS pays for care provided by a registered nurse to people who live in a care home. The NHS also offers personal health budgets to people who are eligible, and this can help them have more control in finding and commissioning suitable care providers to meet the assessed needs of a family member.

Continuing healthcare, continuing care and funded nursing care are the responsibility of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) who must make sure they have processes in place to ensure assessments of residents take place and, where residents meet the eligibility criteria for NHS all age continuing care, such services are commissioned and the needs of the resident are regularly reviewed.

The ICB has the accountability duty in law to make sure these services are provided. The ICB provide the assessment and review process for residents across Lancashire and South Cumbria.