Children’s Continuing Care - for professionals

Information for professionals

The purpose of continuing care funding is to specifically meet the identified health needs of a child or young person aged 0-17 years (up to their 18th birthday). Some children and young people may have complex health needs, which cannot be met by the services that are routinely available from primary care, secondary care and other community services.

NHS Continuing Care funding may therefore be required to ensure the child or young person’s holistic health and wellbeing outcomes are met, through bespoke packages of care from health; and where appropriate integrated with social care and education.

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Whittington Health NHS Trust - Children’s Continuing Care Team

What our service does

In Haringey, Whittington Health NHS Trust Children’s Continuing Care team carries out nurse assessments and monitors care providers.

Each child or young person referred to our service is triaged individually to identify any health needs. A full assessment is completed by a Continuing Care nurse assessor, where the pre assessment checklist meets the criteria. The recommendations following assessment are made at Haringey Continuing Care panel which has representations from health, education and social care.

A bespoke package of care is commissioned for any identified health needs, which cannot be routinely met by other services. We work with a Multi-Disciplinary team to facilitate high quality care packages. The child or young person’s continuing care needs will be reviewed 3 months after the package of care has commenced, and then annually thereafter, or when a child or young person’s health or function is known to have changed. We also carry out quality checks of care providers.

The service adheres to the guidance provided in the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care 2016 (external link). This framework sets out the process for assessing, deciding and agreeing continuing care for children with complex health needs.

Appeals

The child or young person or their family can appeal a pre-assessment checklist decision or the decision made at the Haringey Continuing care panel.

• North Central London CCG Continuing Care Appeals Policy (PDF, 154KB)

Where the service is located

We are based at Northern Health Centre, 1st floor, Northern Health Centre, 580 Holloway Rd, London N7 6LB. Telephone: 020 3316 1950

Referral to the service

Referral to the service is made by a professional from primary, secondary tertiary or community services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Education or Social care. The referring professional must submit the referral form and pre-assessment checklist along with supporting evidence. The referrer should make sure that consent is sought before a referral to the service is made. The Continuing Care Team will decide whether the child or young person should proceed to a formal assessment in 10 days.

A referral form should be completed and sent us at: whh-tr.childrenscontinuingcarereferrals@nhs.net

• Continuing Care professionals referral form (Word, 108KB)
• North Central London CCG Continuing Care Policy (PDF, 165KB)

Service user concerns/complains

In the first instance a service user should contact the Community Matron for Children’s Continuing Care:

• Community Matron for Children’s Continuing Care
  1st floor, Northern Health Centre
  580 Holloway Road
  N7 6LB
• Tel: 020 3316 1950

Service users who wish to make a formal complaint may do so directly to the Trust through the PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison) and Complaints Service at:

• Patient Advice and Liaison
  Chief Executive Offices
  Whittington Health
  Magdala Avenue
  N19 5NF
• Tel: 020 7288 5551
• Email: whh-tr.whitthealthPALS@nhs.net

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