Reclaim long-term care costs deadline set for October – Welsh NHS

Continuing healthcare is a package of care provided by the NHS for those people with complex and primarily health-based needs. This can be provided in a care home or an individual’s own home.

Potential claimants have until October 1 to register their intent to make a claim for continuing healthcare costs which were incurred between August 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014.

If people, or their families, believe they meet the criteria for having their care paid for via continuing healthcare but they paid for the care themselves they should come forward to make a claim.

The NHS will provide advice to claimants and will complete all of the work required to review their case free of charge. This is not a legal process and there is no requirement for people to appoint a solicitor. However, if a solicitor is used, these costs cannot be reimbursed.

All claims will be reviewed within 12 months of submission. A publicity campaign to promote the cut-off date, together with information about where people can get further advice is also being launched.

Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford said:

“There are occasions when people need long-term care to help them cope with an illness or disability. Some people will have paid for that care themselves when it should have been provided by the NHS.

“This is why we are calling for those people or their relatives to come forward so we can review whether their care costs should have been paid for by the NHS. If this is the case, those costs will be reimbursed.

“Health boards will provide free advice to individuals should they wish to make a claim and they will also complete the necessary work on their behalf.

“These claims will be managed in a robust and timely manner. We are also working with health boards to ensure staff get it right first time to minimise the number of people who are unnecessarily paying for continuing healthcare.”