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Complex continuing care is provided to those who have ongoing healthcare needs – such as a chronic illness, a disability or care that requires technology or a trained carer. Examples of people who receive complex care include those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions or those who require the use of specialist equipment such as feeding tubes or stoma bags. The aim of complex continuing care is to provide a better quality of life for those receiving care, as well as giving peace of mind to loved one’s, such as family and friends.
When it comes to care, everybody needs to be assessed as an individual. It is important to work with medical professionals to determine what care would be suitable as this will vary from patient to patient.
If you or a loved one is leaving hospital, any requirements for ongoing care will usually be determined by hospital staff as part of discharge planning.
The level of continuing care provided by healthcare professionals, depends on the requirement of each individual. At specialist Healthcare agencies, such as Safehands, we offer a number of care options for those with complex care needs, from providing around the clock live in care, to supported living in your own home. If you are considering ongoing complex care for a loved one, here are some of the options to consider:
For some, a care home feels like the wrong choice – particularly if the person who requires care is happy at home. Live in carers are trained healthcare professionals, who can provide personal care for people within their own home. This avoids the difficult transition into a care home and minimises the disruption to the life of the person being cared for.
Live in carers can help with various errands around the home and they are also trained to provide the essential personal healthcare that is required, including personal hygiene and medication management.
At Safehands, we match you with carers based on mutual interests and common ground. This helps to ensure that our carers can provide companionship as well as the vital care that is needed. Live in carers are fully trained to provide complex care compassionately and are regulated by the Care Quality Commission for your peace of mind.
Those with complex care needs may also be entitled to NHS continuing healthcare. NHS continuing healthcare is a form of free care to adults who have what is known as a ‘primary health need’. A primary health need can be defined as the need for care that is beyond the care your local authority can provide. It therefore becomes the responsibility of the NHS to provide free care.
To access NHS continuing healthcare, a team of healthcare professionals will conduct an assessment of the person in need of care. This is to help them determine what level of care is needed and how frequently this care is required – which is particularly important for those with complex care needs. After the assessment, a care plan is formulated for you and a suitable care team is put in place to support your care needs. Throughout the process, both the person being cared for and their family will be consulted to ensure that the needs of the person being cared for are met.
NHS continuing healthcare is a form of long term care. Your care will be reviewed initially after the first 3 months and then every 12 months from then on. This is to ensure your care plan is still suitable and make any adjustments as your needs change.
If you have a child who requires continuing complex care, NHS continuing care offer care packages to help provide extra specialist care to children. An assessment using the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care will take place to examine what care is needed and when.
Children will then be allocated a personal health budget by the NHS, which will be used to provide suitable care for those with complex needs. This is to allow parents more of a say over how their child receives care.
Finding the right carer is key for those with complex needs. It is important to understand what your complex carer is responsible for. Complex carers will carry out a variety of tasks including aiding with personal hygiene, medication management and helping with general household chores. Your carer will also ensure you or your loved one is involved in the community; either by attending social groups or helping with tasks such as shopping. Complex carers are also specially trained in moving and handling as well as more complex issues such as catheter care, gastrostomy care, tube feeding or non-invasive ventilation.
If you think you or a loved one can benefit from complex care, please contact us to talk through your options and access more information.