Would you please consider signing these petitions?

Here are two petitions that readers in the UK might wish to sign. They both deal with the thorny issue of Continuing Healthcare funding (CHC). CHC can be granted to people who have serious, complex health problems and it means that the National Health Service (NHS) pays for their care.

The decision in each individual case is taken locally and it is clear that a 'postcode lottery' exists. People in some areas are much more likely to be funded in this way than people in other areas.

These petitions address this issue:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/investigation-into-the-malpractices-of-nhs-continuing-care

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/114241

Will the NHS fund care?

This is a post mainly about the UK but may have some interest for readers in other countries.

We know that in the UK care funding is means-tested and large numbers of people have to pay for their care, even though they need care because they have a disease.

However, if a person's needs and the consequential risks are sufficiently severe, the NHS may fund care costs  -  regardless of their income.

We are in the process of trying to get this funding for what is called Continuing Health Care (CHC) for S. We have been encouraged to believe that she will get it. This surprises some people because it is often thought that you have to have very challenging behaviour (e.g. aggression, paranoia) in order to get the funding. You don't, though many people are funded mainly or partly because of their challenging behaviour.

There's a very informative video here, for people who wish to explore this area further:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrpFLLwGqhs

It lasts about an hour so I intended watching it in 'bite-sized chunks' but found it so engrossing that I watched it right through and took notes!