DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 2 October 2008
Consultation on a
National Framework for Assessing Children and Young People's
Continuing Care Needs
The Department of Health today outlined proposals to improve the
quality of care for children with complex, long term health needs
as they launched the consultation on the National Framework for
Assessing Children's Continuing Care.
The Children's Continuing Care Framework proposes to create
a tailor made package of care for each child or young person who
will need care over an extended period of time due to disability,
accident or illness. The package will support the child's
parents or carers to manage their care at home or in other
settings such as school and will include support from the NHS,
Education and Social Services.
The National Framework will assist Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and
Local Authorities to obtain a complete picture of a child's
health needs so that decisions on funding care packages can be
made according to the same set of criteria across the country.
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said:
"It is important that there is greater transparency around
how decisions about a child's care are made. This Framework
will ensure that all children who may need continuing care are
assessed against the same criteria wherever they live. This new
Framework will also ensure that the child and their family are
kept at the heart of this process."
Andrew Adonis the Schools Minister said:
"Use of this Framework will enable Local Children's
Services to work with their NHS partners to assess a child or
young person's long term needs in the community. Use of the
National Framework will contribute to how PCTs and LAs deliver
their core offer to families of disabled children locally."
The closing date is 31 December.
Notes to Editors
1. A determination of whether a child or young person is eligible
for continuing care package is currently based on local
procedures, which often vary from area to area. A National
Framework will provide a system of assessment based on need which
is applied consistently across the country
2. The Framework is designed for the NHS but the Decision Support
Tool will be used by the NHS and Local Authorities to obtain a
complete picture of the child or young person's health needs
in order to make a decision about whether to fund a continuing
care package.
3. Decisions about which care packages to fund remain the
responsibility of the PCT and the LA.
4. Copies of the consultation can be found at http://www.dh.gov.uk/children
5. Any media enquires then please call the Department of Health
Newsdesk on 020 7210 5221