Children's long-term care under the spotlight
Friday October 3rd, 2008
Proposals to boost continuing care for children with complex, long-term health needs were published yesterday.
A government consultation aims to create "a tailor-made package of care" for children with a disability or who need support following an accident or illness. It will run until December 31.
The department of health say the resulting 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 services and Social Services.
The decision about whether a child or young person is eligible for continuing care is based on local procedures, which vary from area to area.
Health minister Ben Bradshaw explains that under the new system, eligibility criteria will be applied consistently across the country.
He 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."
The Schools Minister, Andrew Adonis, commented: "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."
He says this national framework is designed for the NHS, but can also be used by local authorities when planning how to fund and deliver care to families of disabled children locally.
Tags: Child & Adolescent Health | UK News
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