Author and Publication
Author: Ben Slater, Registered Social Worker, Founder and Managing Director of Nellie Supports
Reviewed by: Kerry Slater, Director of Operations
Last reviewed: 20 July 2026
Citation
1. Department of Health and Social Care (2022) National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care
2. Department of Health and Social Care (2022) NHS Continuing Healthcare Decision Support Tool.
3. R (Grogan) v Bexley NHS Care Trust and others [2006] EWHC 44 (Admin).
4. Social Work England. Professional standards. Available at: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk
Copywright
Copyright © 2026 Nellie Supports Ltd. All rights reserved.
This article is made available for general information, education and professional reference. It may be downloaded, printed and shared for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced in full, is not altered in any way, and is properly cited as the work of Nellie Supports Ltd. This material must not be edited, adapted, sold, republished, incorporated into commercial products, or used for commercial training, assessment, report-writing or advisory services without prior written permission from Nellie Supports Ltd.
This article does not constitute legal advice, clinical advice or a substitute for a decision-specific professional assessment. Where legislation, government guidance, court forms or external professional materials are referred to, those materials remain subject to their own copyright, licensing and re-use terms.
Abstract
This guide explains who can produce evidence in an NHS Continuing Healthcare case. It covers the position of family members, care providers, treating clinicians, independent professionals and advocates, what weight each carries, why professional registration matters, and how to combine sources so they reinforce rather than repeat one another.
Who can write CHC evidence
Anyone can contribute evidence to an NHS Continuing Healthcare case. What differs is the weight each source carries, and the most effective cases combine several rather than relying on one.
Family evidence
Families hold information nobody else has, particularly about overnight needs, fluctuation, and how often difficult episodes occur. That evidence is legitimate and should be submitted in writing rather than raised verbally. Its limitation is that it may be treated as partial, which is why it works best alongside records and professional evidence rather than alone.
Care providers
Care home and domiciliary staff produce the contemporaneous records that underpin most cases, and a manager's letter describing what the package requires carries real weight. The practical difficulty is that providers are sometimes reluctant to appear to be advocating for a funding outcome, so ask for factual description rather than an opinion on eligibility.
Treating clinicians
GPs, consultants and specialist nurses carry authority on clinical questions. A letter describing what a person needs, what skill it requires and what happens without it is far more useful than one confirming a diagnosis. Ask for that specifically, because clinicians default to diagnosis unless told what the letter is for.
Independent professionals
An independent registered professional instructed to assess and report brings two things: a structured assessment against the twelve domains, and independence from both the family and the funding body. That combination is what makes it useful at Independent Review Panel, where the panel is looking for material not produced by either party to the dispute.
Why registration matters
A registered professional is accountable to a regulator for the accuracy of what they write. That accountability is precisely what gives the report weight. An unregistered adviser may know the system well, but their report carries no professional accountability, and that difference tends to surface when a report is tested.
Combining sources
The strongest cases layer evidence rather than repeating it. Care records show the pattern over time. Family evidence fills the gaps records do not capture, particularly overnight. Clinical letters establish the clinical picture. An independent assessment structures all of it against the domains and reasons on the characteristics. Each does something the others cannot.
Key takeaway
Anyone can contribute, and weight varies. Ask clinicians for need rather than diagnosis, ask providers for factual description rather than opinion on eligibility, submit family evidence in writing, and use an independent professional to structure the whole against the domains.
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Frequently asked questions
Does family evidence count?
Yes. Families hold information nobody else has, particularly on overnight needs and fluctuation. Submit it in writing, and use it alongside records and professional evidence rather than on its own.
What should we ask a GP to write?
What the person needs, what skill it requires and what happens without it. A letter confirming a diagnosis is far less useful, and clinicians default to diagnosis unless told what the letter is for.
Will the care home write something?
Often, though providers can be wary of appearing to advocate for a funding outcome. Ask for factual description of what the package requires rather than an opinion on eligibility.
Related NHS Continuing Healthcare pages
These links take you to the most relevant Nellie Supports service page and to the supporting guides that explain the surrounding process.
Speak to an independent CHC specialist
Nellie Supports prepares independent needs evidence for NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments, reviews and appeals across England and Wales. Our reports are written by registered social workers on a permanent employed team, with internal peer review before release. Call 0333 987 5118 or send an enquiry and we will talk through where you are in the process.