It looks like continuing care may blow up as an issue again, given some Age Concern figures out today.

The themes are familiar: not enough people are getting it and there is a massive postcode lottery, the two things the government's national framework on continuing care - published last June and implemented last October - were supposed to correct.

Perhaps the figures are faulty or to some extent reflect need. What are people's experiences of the new system?

I think we are getting much better in our service, and our health colleagues are now more supportive when using the decision making tool.  As a result more people are getting continuing care which is either jointly or fully funded than ever before.  There is still a lot of work to do, but having regular champion forums involving different professionals does help.  However, we dont seem to include our occupational therapists as much as I feel we should when providing evidence for the continuing care documentation. 

Same old, same from Health: delays, assessments, delays, reviews, delays.; no information, misinformation, obstruction and procrastination.  It needs a clear lead from the DH, but they are frightened of the budgetary implications if everyone gets what they are entitled to.  They rely on people not knowing that they don't have to pay, or giving up in the endless process of getting money refunded.

Surfer, I think many of the problems you describe, have arisen not only because of finacial issues but also the increasing blurring of health and social care needs.

Yes, I'm sure this is right. Things that 20 years ago would have been seen as "health" are now regarded as "social" care. However the money has not moved with the changing definitions! In some ways Social Services have only themselves to blame; they have allowed themselves to be put-upon by the NHS and now find themselves chronically under-funded and only able to offer services to the most needy. It will probably take the rising generation of post-war "older" people to force changes because of their high expectations and their voting power.

Continuing Care has been a big hit with the council with which I am employed.  More service users than ever before are being funded by the NHS either fully or partially.  This takes much of the financial burden from the council as there are never enough funds to go around.  Each year our budgets are needing to be stretched further and further, meaning that resources are being cut where they are most needed.  The drawback from continuing care is the huge document which has to be filled out at each meeting, taking up hours and hours of valuable time, which could be spent delivering services where they are most needed.