Speak to a CHC Specialist
If you are considering pursuing NHS Continuing Healthcare but are unsure whether the available evidence supports eligibility, our DST Viability Review can provide an independent professional assessment of the situation.
Contact us to discuss your circumstances and understand the next steps.
What the Decision Support Tool Does
The Decision Support Tool (DST) is used by NHS assessors to evaluate a person’s health needs across a number of domains, including:
• mobility
• cognition
• behaviour
• communication
• nutrition
• continence
• skin integrity
• medication and symptom control
• breathing and other clinical risks
These domains are then considered alongside the Primary Health Need test, which determines whether responsibility for funding care lies with the NHS or the local authority.
Understanding how the evidence relates to the DST framework can be complex.
Our DST Viability Review
Fixed Fee: £3000
Our DST Viability Review involves a structured review of the available care records and documentation provided by the family.
This may include:
• care home records
• care plans
• nursing notes
• risk assessments
• hospital discharge summaries
• GP or community health documentation
We analyse the available information against the Decision Support Tool domains and consider whether the evidence appears consistent with the Primary Health Need framework used in CHC decisions.
The aim is to provide families with a clear professional view of whether pursuing a DST assessment may be viable.
Understanding the Decision Support Tool
The Decision Support Tool (DST) is the detailed assessment used by NHS assessors to evaluate whether a person’s needs may meet the threshold for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding.
The process examines several domains of need and is used by the multidisciplinary team to consider whether a person may have a Primary Health Need.
You can learn more about how the Decision Support Tool works here:
➡ Decision Support Tool Explained
Understanding how the DST framework operates can make it much easier to evaluate whether pursuing a CHC assessment may be viable.
When Families Request This Service
Families often request a DST Viability Review when:
• they believe a relative may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare
• a Checklist has been completed and passed
• the NHS has suggested a DST assessment may take place
• they are unsure whether the available evidence supports CHC eligibility
• they want an independent view before pursuing an appeal or assessment
Understanding the likely strength of the evidence can help families decide how to proceed.
Understanding the NHS Continuing Healthcare Process
The Decision Support Tool is normally completed following a successful CHC Checklist assessment.
You can learn more about the Decus
➡ The NHS Continuing Healthcare Assessment Process
Should You Even Pursue a CHC Assessment?
Many families contact us because they believe their relative may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, but they are unsure whether pursuing an assessment is realistically worthwhile. This is a common concern.
The CHC process can be complex and time-consuming, and families understandably want to know whether the available evidence is likely to support eligibility before committing significant time or resources.
A DST Viability Review helps answer this question by examining the available records and identifying whether the evidence appears consistent with the Decision Support Tool framework used by the NHS.
You may wish to request a viability review if:
• a Checklist has been completed and passed, but the next stage is unclear
• professionals have suggested CHC may be unlikely
• the available care records appear significant but the outcome is uncertain
• you want an independent view before attending a DST assessment
• you want to understand whether the evidence supports the Primary Health Need test
Our review provides a structured professional opinion on whether pursuing a Decision Support Tool assessment may be viable based on the available documentation.
DST Viability Review
Decision Support Tool (DST) Viability Review
Before a person can receive NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, their needs must usually be assessed using the Decision Support Tool (DST).
The DST is a detailed multidisciplinary assessment that examines a person’s health needs across several care domains.
However, families are often unsure whether pursuing a full CHC assessment is realistically likely to succeed.
Our DST Viability Review service provides an independent professional review of the available care records to help determine whether the evidence may support a successful CHC outcome.