Briefing / How it works – NHS continuing healthcare

NHS continuing healthcare (NHS CHC) is an area of significant expenditure for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the population. It is an area of health and social care where the distinction between the two services is blurred and the legislation governing who is responsible for what can be confusing.

NHS CHC is the commissioning of an ongoing package of health and social care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS where an individual is found to have a primary health need. The NHS is responsible for providing for all of that individual’s assessed health and associated social care needs, including accommodation, if that is part of the overall need. Such care is provided to an individual aged 18 or over to meet needs that have arisen as a result of disability, accident or illness.

This briefing gives an overview of the NHS CHC rules and process, picking up some of the terms that are commonly used, but may not be fully understood. This guide is intended to give a basic understanding for those working in NHS finance teams. It should not be used to administer NHS CHC processes. Links to further reading and guidance are provided in the final section.