Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS; this is known as NHS continuing healthcare (CHC). NHS continuing healthcare can be provided in a variety of settings outside hospital, such as in a patient's own home or in a care home.
Over 150 patients across Tees Valley within the CHC system have a medication only package of care funded via the NHS budget, costing the ICB over £730,000 per annum. These individuals are not eligible for CHC funding as they do not have a primary health care need identified.
Some individuals may receive funding from local authorities for social support, however, this doesn't include the cost of the medicines calls. Due to changes in legislation across health and social care, medication only provision is fully the responsibility of health. This leaves a cohort of individuals who are not eligible for CHC funding, may not be eligible for local authority funding, but require carer support to take their medicines. This falls to the ICB to fund.
Working with the team who assess patients for CHC, the medicines optimisation team in Tees Valley implemented a pathway to review the medication of patients not eligible for LA or CHC funding. The medication review aims to ensure medicines are optimised, with a focus on reducing the frequency of medicines administration where clinically appropriate. A reduction in frequency of administration may then reduce the number of carer calls required to support medicines administration.
