Speak to a CHC Specialist
If you believe a relative should have been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare, our CHC Checklist Request & Advocacy Letter service provides an independent assessment and structured representation requesting that the CHC process is properly considered.
Contact us to discuss your situation and receive clear guidance on the next steps.
Our CHC Checklist Request & Advocacy Letter
Our CHC Checklist Request & Advocacy Letter service provides an independent assessment and structured written representation requesting that the NHS properly considers whether a Checklist should be completed.
As part of this service, a Nellie Supports practitioner visits the individual and carries out a full care needs assessment.
This assessment reviews the person’s health needs, daily care requirements and associated risks in order to understand whether the CHC Checklist criteria may be met.
The findings are then used to prepare a formal CHC advocacy letter requesting that the relevant authority completes a Checklist assessment.
The letter may be addressed to:
• the Integrated Care Board (ICB)
• the local authority
• the person’s GP
• the care provider
The aim is to ensure the person’s needs are clearly documented and presented before the CHC process is considered closed.
CHC Checklist Request & Advocacy Letter
Fixed Fee: £1,500
This service includes:
✔ Consultation to understand the person’s care and health situation
✔ Visit to the individual’s location (home or care setting)
✔ Independent care needs assessment
✔ Identification of health needs relevant to the CHC Checklist domains
✔ Preparation of a formal advocacy letter requesting a CHC Checklist
✔ Guidance on the next steps within the CHC assessment process
The advocacy letter can be shared with the relevant authority requesting that the NHS Continuing Healthcare Checklist stage is carried out or reconsidered.
When Families Request This Service
Families often request this support when:
• the NHS or local authority has refused to carry out a Checklist
• a Checklist was completed but did not meet the threshold
• the person’s health needs appear significant but the CHC process has not started
• professionals have suggested private funding without considering CHC
• there is uncertainty about whether the person should be assessed for NHS funding
Obtaining an independent assessment and written representation can help ensure the situation is properly reviewed.
Understanding the NHS Continuing Healthcare Process
The CHC Checklist is only the first stage of the NHS Continuing Healthcare pathway.
Where the Checklist threshold is met, the person should proceed to a full Decision Support Tool (DST) assessment, where eligibility for NHS funding is formally considered.
You can learn more about this process here:
Understanding NHS Continuing Healthcare
NHS Continuing Healthcare is a fully funded package of care arranged and funded by the NHS.
Eligibility is not based on diagnosis or where care is provided.
Instead, it depends on whether a person’s needs amount to a Primary Health Need.
The assessment process usually involves:
• a CHC Checklist screening assessment
• a Decision Support Tool (DST) completed by a multidisciplinary team
• a final decision by the Integrated Care Board (ICB)
You can learn more about the CHC assessment framework here:
Has the NHS Refused to Start the CHC Process?
Many families contact us because they believe their relative should be assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare, but the process has not been started or has stalled early.
You may recognise one of these situations:
• The hospital or care home says a Checklist is not necessary
• A professional has said the person “won’t qualify anyway”
• A Checklist was completed very quickly and did not meet the threshold
• The NHS or local authority has declined to arrange an assessment
• You have been told the person must pay privately for care without CHC being considered
In many cases, families are left feeling the decision has been made without a proper review of the person’s health needs.
An independent care needs assessment and formal advocacy letter can help ensure the CHC process is properly considered and documented.
CHC Checklist Request & Advocacy Letter
Request an NHS Continuing Healthcare Checklist
Before a person can be assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), the NHS should normally carry out a CHC Checklist assessment.
The Checklist is the first stage of the NHS Continuing Healthcare process and determines whether a person should proceed to a full Decision Support Tool (DST) assessment.
However, families are often told that:
• a Checklist will not be completed
• the person does not qualify for assessment
• the NHS or local authority will not arrange one
In other situations, a Checklist may have been completed but failed to meet the threshold, even though the person’s health needs appear significant.
Where this happens, families may wish to request that a Checklist is completed or reconsidered.