Lisa welcomed everyone and also welcomed our Trustees – Dr Angela Parker and Valerie Chodosh and also welcomed Andrew Wrensch a qualified trainer who does seminar training on topics of interest for carers and also works in a care home as a development manager.
Lisa also welcomed our new members and visitor Shakira Nurmohamed – a Client Liaison Manager at Signature Senior Lifestyle. A new Signature care home has nearly been built in Wood Street Barnet. There is also a similar care home in Hendon which is now open.
The following was discussed.
NHS Continuous Health Care ‘CHC’
Lisa mentioned that the previous week, a carer talked about the difficulties and challenges he was experiencing in completing an NHS Continuous Health Care ‘CHC’ form. Lisa mentioned that she had spoken to someone who had gone through this process and was also having the same difficulties but she found a very good solicitor who succeeded in winning her case and therefore her CHC was approved.
Lisa has further organised for this solicitor to visit our carers group meeting next Tuesday 17th August at 7pm. Her name is Rachel Burley-Stower from Martin Searle Solicitors. In the meantime you may like to read the following to get a better understanding about CHC before Rachel visits next week.
Andrew has provided the attached continuing healthcare checklist which provides details of the questions asked.
I have also provided below a summary of the 11 criteria called Care Domains and what they mean;
- Breathing* – can you breathe independently or with support?
- Nutrition – what care do you need to ensure you get enough to eat and drink?
- Continence – your control of your bladder and bowel
- Skin integrity – the condition of your skin: poor skin integrity can include pressure sores, wounds or infection
- Mobility – your ability to safely walk or move about without support
- Communication – how able are you to articulate or explain your needs?
- Psychological and emotional needs – such as anxiety, mood disturbances, hallucinations, or distress
- Cognition – does your disability or disease cause confusion, memory issues, disorientation, or an inability to judge risk?
- Behaviour* – is your behaviour a risk to yourself, others or property? Can it be anticipated or minimised?
- Drug therapies and medication* – is your medication or pain difficult to manage safely?
- Altered states of consciousness* – when your mind is aware but not fully in control, putting you at risk of harm (for example, if you have epilepsy)
The needs marked with an asterisk (*) are considered more important and pressing than others
The Checklist can be completed by a variety of health and social care practitioners, who have been trained in its use, including, for example: a registered nurse employed by the NHS, GPs, other clinicians or local authority staff (such as social workers, care managers or social care assistants).
The outcome of the Checklist depends on the aggregate number of A’s, B’s, and C’s scored. Generally speaking, in order for the CCG to consider doing a comprehensive Full Assessment, you have to have a minimum ‘score’ in the Checklist:
- 2 or more ‘A’s
- 5 or more ‘B’s (or 1 A and 4 Bs)
- or at least 1 A in a domain with an asterisk*
Homeshare Scheme
There was also mention about Homeshare. Homeshare is someone who is unrelated to you shares your home and offers companionship and practical help in and around your home. Please see the link from Barnet Council:
Barnet Council which also gives details of costs. I have also included a link from Age UK:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/programmes/homeshare/
No Sugar Biscuits and Cakes
There was also a discussion which Lisa had raised about whether we should also provide no sugar biscuits and cakes at sessions especially for those with diabetes. Lisa mentioned how she recently visited a number of supermarkets and was unable to find no sugar biscuits and cakes.The shops had Gluten Free, Vegan, No Wheat and Low Sugar biscuits and cakes but nothing with no sugar. However Lisa said that she managed to find no sugar biscuits and cakes online.
Dr Angela commented to say that we should be careful with any products with alternative sweeteners as depending on the kind of sweeteners used they could have some bad side effects and in many cases it would not stop the craving for the real sugar as our brain is not fooled. It would be better to have one biscuit you like.
Vitamins
Someone mentioned whether we should take certain vitamins like B1 and B12. Dr Angela commented that generally if we all have a good balanced meal then we should not need to take any vitamins. There are of course people who may be deficient in some vitamins and there could be a medical reason for this. Dr Angela explained that there are people for example who do not absorb B12 and therefore need to take B12 injections.
Dr Angela has provided the following links below;
B12 The Vegetarian Society - https://vegsoc.org/info-hub/health-and-nutrition/vitamin-b12/
Vitamin Deficiency anaemia – Symptoms and Causes – Mayo Clinic
