PEOPLE who may be eligible for NHS continuing care funding — usually made available to those living in a nursing home — are being urged to make sure they apply before new deadlines set by the Department of Health.
The funding is used to support people who have physical or mental health needs as a result of a disability, accident or illness. It is available to people living in nursing or residential homes, and also to people living in their own homes.
New application deadlines have been introduced because the responsibility for continuing care funding is passing from Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to newly-established Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
Helen Shields, executive director at the IW CCG, said: "The announcement of these deadlines introduces a process that enables individuals who should have been assessed from April 1, 2004, onwards to be identified and considered for eligibility as soon as possible.
"These deadlines apply only to previously unassessed periods of care. They have no impact on cases that PCTs have considered or are currently considering for assessment of eligibility.
"But if you’ve never been assessed for funding since April 1, 2004, and think you may be eligible, then don’t delay – contact our NHS Funded Care Team for further advice."
The team can be contacted on 552470 or at nhsfundedcare@iow.nhs.uk
Further advice is available for Age UK IW on 525282.
For unassessed periods of care between April 1, 2004, and March 31, 2011, the deadline to apply for funding is September 30, 2012. For periods between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, the deadline is March 31, 2013.
Retrospective assessments will also be considered on behalf of people who have died.