Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

I'm supporting you guys on this issue because my parents had to sell the family home to cover my Dad's care home costs, but it's too long ago to claim it back (1991). He needed round the clock nursing for the last few years of his life due to a neurological disease

Show me the petition and I'll sign it

Good luck with all of this - I'm right behind you

Thanks PlanB. It's a massive issue and seems incredibly unfair that those who have been financially able to buy their own property in early life (therefore by default will probably have paid far more in taxes and National Insurance) should have their homes taken away to pay for care which is given freely to anyone who possibly hasn't made any contribution at all.

The Government never mentions the £10billion per year they receive from Intestate estates do they....

[PlanB]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Exactly. My Dad had worked and paid taxes all his life and he fought for his *country* in the second world war (RAF fighter pilot). My Mum also fought for her *country* in WWII (army nurse) and suffered PTSD for the decades that followed with little NHS help which wouldn't recognise the syndrome.

They scrimped and saved to pay a mortgage and then the whole lot (including both their military pensions which they had contributed to for 40 yrs) got taken away from them because he needed 6 years nursing home care at the end. I don't feel bitter that I didn't inherit their money, and I would have been happy if they had left it all to the Dalmation Rescue Society. But to have the Government take it was a slap in the face to them.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

They get paid in advance when i was speaking to them last night. they submit off bank statements of earnings/savings that they have and is calculated (i think) in what they get as a lump Sum for the year towards the care

Not sure what it is either, to be honest. The above are not DLA or AA though; as both aren't means tested.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

**Update**

The claim has now been prepared and was forwarded to me earlier to see if I want anything changed, etc. A lot of work has gone into this and there's no way I could have done it myself.... case law has been quoted and all sorts.

Anyway, as soon as the solicitor/company have the go-ahead from me, off it goes!! It's then a waiting game....

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

**Update**

Claim has been received and acknowledged.

The PCT have asked what the basis of the claim is?

My solicitor has told them to read it.....

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

LOL they're priceless aren't they?

Update on mine too (Going the DIY route as Hugh James suddenly wanted £1k up front)

Have been in direct contact with the PCT, having been referred to them after my query to the Patients Liaison service. They sent a form to fill in with details of symptoms, diagnosis etc. I also did a cover letter quoting phrases from case law (eg Coughlan) etc and we sent it all in requesting a retrospective review. They've acknowledged receipt so we've made the deadline of 30th September. They've advised "it might take quite some time...".

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

LOL they're priceless aren't they?

Update on mine too (Going the DIY route as Hugh James suddenly wanted £1k up front)

Have been in direct contact with the PCT, having been referred to them after my query to the Patients Liaison service. They sent a form to fill in with details of symptoms, diagnosis etc. I also did a cover letter quoting phrases from case law (eg Coughlan) etc and we sent it all in requesting a retrospective review. They've acknowledged receipt so we've made the deadline of 30th September. They've advised "it might take quite some time...".

Elsa, have you checked that receiving a request for a retrospective review is the same as lodging a claim with the PCT re. meeting the deadline?

I've been told that some cases can take up to 2 years..... so it's a looooooong waiting game.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Hi P1,
Yes, according to them that's it now, the deadline refers to review requests, be it for an appeal of a previous refusal or a retrospective request for a review.
At least from Hugh James (for free) we got an initial assessment that we had a case. As Mum was (wrongly) never reviewed it might be easier than appealing against an existing refusal...as the PCT are now aware of their earlier mistakes and (seem) keen to put things right.

If they refuse this we can still choose to engage a solicitor at a later date to appeal, if necessary, but HJ said they rarely need to go to court....

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Hi P1,
Yes, according to them that's it now, the deadline refers to review requests, be it for an appeal of a previous refusal or a retrospective request for a review.
At least from Hugh James (for free) we got an initial assessment that we had a case. As Mum was (wrongly) never reviewed it might be easier than appealing against an existing refusal...as the PCT are now aware of their earlier mistakes and (seem) keen to put things right.

If they refuse this we can still choose to engage a solicitor at a later date to appeal, if necessary, but HJ said they rarely need to go to court....

Brilliant stuff!!

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Just updating....

Received paperwork from the PCT asking for ID and confirmation that my sols. are acting on my behalf. Retrospective continual care assessment to take place.

Will update again when I hear more.

:-)

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Thanks for the update P1, first hurdle over then

Similar here, everything gone to PCT in mid September, they said it would take quite a while to dig out all the info, and it has, no news yet.

Elsa xx

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

Jeez.... these people are a joke!

I have just called the number of my particular PCT to chase up when they're likely to set up their Review Team. The lady I spoke to was very matter-of-fact and said that it could take years to even set up a Review Team and although I could send in a complaint if I wasn't happy, this would not change the current position of just....waiting and waiting.

They seem intent on dragging this out to the max. She told me that they have around 400 cases to refer to this team when it's finally set up, so there seems no end in sight whatsoever right now.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

It's a joke isn't it? We chased ours up a couple of weeks ago as we'd heard nothing. The PCT said they were still waiting for a reply from the care home.
Rang the care home who said they'd not replied because they no longer have any care records as she died more than 3 years ago.
Apparently they can bin them after 3 years, which presumably makes their life less important than bank account records, which have to be retained for 6 years. Ridiculous.

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

It's a joke isn't it? We chased ours up a couple of weeks ago as we'd heard nothing. The PCT said they were still waiting for a reply from the care home.
Rang the care home who said they'd not replied because they no longer have any care records as she died more than 3 years ago.
Apparently they can bin them after 3 years, which presumably makes their life less important than bank account records, which have to be retained for 6 years. Ridiculous.

Records at Hospitals of deceased get binned in that time!

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia.... re-claiming care home fees.

It's a joke isn't it? We chased ours up a couple of weeks ago as we'd heard nothing. The PCT said they were still waiting for a reply from the care home.
Rang the care home who said they'd not replied because they no longer have any care records as she died more than 3 years ago.
Apparently they can bin them after 3 years, which presumably makes their life less important than bank account records, which have to be retained for 6 years. Ridiculous.

What?! My late mother's care home still had hers last year from when she passed away in 2008..... and her solicitor said that they kept records there for 6 years before destroying them. Is this game over for you now Elsa? What a fecking nightmare!!

I'm going to write to my MP later. I doubt it'll have much impact but it's worth a shot.