Hi there could anyone help? I’m trying to find out how much direct payments are for complex care ( the highest and lowest payment) I’m in Salford. Jx
Hi Jayne.
To my knowledge , there are no limits on the amount payable under Direct Payments.
In theory , the level should reflect the care need … in practice , this hardly ever happens.
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A direct payment is the amount of money that the local council/trust has to pay to meet the needs of you or the person you are looking after, and which is given to enable you/them to purchase services that will meet your/their needs (as assessed by the local council/trust).
So far this year , several LAs have cut DPs whereas the needs of the person have increased.
Furthermore , the dreaded post code lottery … moving a few feet over a LA boundary may make all the difference.
If your caree has complex needs , has CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare been offered or considered … or even mentioned ?
If one doesn’t ask , one doesn’t get ?
Hi Jayne,
It’s actually unlawful to set limits for care.
Are you talking about Social Services Direct Payments?
If care is complex, has anyone mentioned NHS Continuing Healthcare to you?
Tell us a bit more about your situation, age of caree, nature of disability, etc. and we might have a few suggestions to help.
Hi all
My husband is C2 tetraplegic ( paralysed from neck down) he is also ventilator dependant ( 24/7 connected to a ventilator that breathes for him.) we have been married 5 years , i remortgaged to have my house adapted for him to live in but we are still living separately . We are trying to get direct payments but St Helens CHC can’t seem to agree on an amount to pay. I live in Salford and we both want him to be living here. At the minute the payment for the care agency we are with comes from CHC but the agency can’t provide cover to meet his needs and have given us 4 weeks notice. We thought it might be better to go down the direct payment root. They offered £15.25 per hour but none of the complex care agencies can provide care for this amount. My husband was a British judo champion had a judo accident which left him paralysed he never had a insurance payout so we are unable to contribute payments . Jx
Hi Jayne.
Bottom line ?
It’s the NHS’s problem , NOT yours … if CHC funding is in place.
Recommend contacting the local NHS CHC Team as a matter of urgency … contact details in the paperwork ?
The following link might be applicable :
https://www.salfordccg.nhs.uk/
If not , someone may know through their CONTACT US page.
As a last resort , a complaint to the CQC would be in order :
( Although will not immediately solve the urgent problem. )
Jayne, escalate the social workers offering the £15.25 an hour, ask them to push your case forward as exceptional circumstances, give them the actual costs quoted to provide the care your hubby needs and ask them to put those figures forward to their various committees as he doesn’t fit in the often low, basic, cost of cheapest care home prescribed/suggested amounts, and you want him home. He has a right to live as independently as he can in his own home. Its all about his needs and their statutory duty to provide person centred care. You have to be pushy. I have this situation annually at review, they have no continuity of service, different social workers every time and have complained to director of SS with LA twice now inviting them to get out from behind their desks and meet at grass roots level. This did happen.
Stamp your feet. CHC and LA need to sort out a solution asap.
Good luck x
I read the social workers practise guide when setting individual budget there allowance is £40,000 max it can be over this but has to be approved by a service manager.
My brother gets £8K pa and I was told thats a small budget.