Continuing Care for children and young people

Some children and young people up to age 18 may have very complex health needs. These may be the result of:

• congenital conditions
• disability
• long term or life limiting conditions
• serious illness or injury

NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB is responsible for arranging for health services locally. We have a responsibility for assessing children and young people to see if they need a package of continuing care.

Make a referral

A referral can be made by any health professional or carer who feels a continuing care package may be required. When a child or young person is referred for an assessment, we might check if they are likely to need a full assessment.

Eligibility

Any child or young person up to their 18th birthday who has a complex health need may be eligible. When a young person reaches 18, the adult NHS Continuing Healthcare arrangements apply.

There are significant differences between children and young people’s and adults continuing care. Although a child or young person may be in receipt of a package of continuing care, they may not be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The ICB will assess any young person in receipt of continuing care when they are aged 16-17, to see if they are likely to be eligible when they turn 18.

NHS Derby and Derbyshire has agreed that the package will be to support parents or carers to manage their child’s care at home.

Help and guidance

Children’s Continuing Care is in place as the Department of Health recognised that some families or carers need additional help for their child and issued national guidance. The guidance is not mandatory and NHS Derby and Derbyshire is developing a policy based on this guidance.

Our policy reflects national guidance in the use of a decision support tool which is a set of domains or areas, within which there are several levels. A panel, consisting of clinical and managerial professionals, will consider the assessment alongside these domains and decide if additional care is needed. If so the panel will also agree the level of additional care needed in terms of hours per week.

Commissioners will also keep the package of care under regular review to ensure the developing child or young person’s needs continue to be supported. A child or young person’s eligibility may change as their needs change.

Continuing care for children can now be requested as a personal health budget

Children’s complex care and continuing care lead nurse

The children’s continuing care manager’s role is to ensure the smooth running of the panel, liaise with health, social work and education colleagues to offer advice of whether an assessment may be needed, and to advise how the process works.

Role of the Children’s nurse assessor

The children’s nurse assessor role is to liaise with family and carers to undertake an assessment. With consent from the family, they will also contact other colleagues to collect information to support the assessment. The nurse assessor will have knowledge and experience of children with complex needs.

Further information

The national framework for children and young people’s continuing care is for guidance only.

NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB Children and Young Peoples Policy

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