Children's Continuing Healthcare

Continuing Care is a way of funding healthcare packages for babies, children and young people (from birth to 18 years old) with complex healthcare needs whose needs cannot be met by existing mainstream or specialist health services.  These complex needs may be as a result of disability, accident or illness.

Children and Young People are assessed using the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care (DOH 2016). This framework is designed to support Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in determining if a child’s needs are such that they can only be met through a package of continuing care.

The framework also sets out an equitable, transparent and timely process for assessing, deciding and agreeing these bespoke packages of care.

Each care package will be commissioned to meet the individual needs of each child/young person and their family and can involve health education and social care.

How to refer to us

A Children’s Community Nurse will assess the child/young person in conjunction with the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care (DOH 2016), and complete a children’s continuing care assessment. 

Additional information will be gathered to support the holistic assessment and this will be submitted with supporting evidence to the children and young person’s continuing care administrator.  Decisions about the care package that may be offered will be made at the Children’s Continuing Care Panel meeting.

How to contact us

Healthcare professionals wishing to refer a child or young person for continuing care assessment can contact the Children’s Community Nurses on 0207 266 8840, or email [email protected] for the referral form.

How does the service change between Children’s Services and Adult Services?

Our services cover up to 18 years old.  Adults will need to have their needs assessed using the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care to see if they are eligible. A summary of the Transition process is below:

• At 14 years of age, the young person should be brought to the attention of adult continuing care services.
• At 16 years of age, screening for NHS continuing healthcare should be undertaken using the adult screening tool.
• At 17 years of age, an agreement in principle for adult NHS continuing healthcare should have been made.
• At 18 years of age, full transition to adult NHS continuing healthcare or to universal and specialist services should have been made.