Findings from engagement with residents of Birch Avenue and Woodland View Care Homes and their relatives

Healthwatch Sheffield was asked by NHS Sheffield CCG to undertake independent engagement with residents and relatives connected to Birch Avenue and Woodland View dementia care homes following concerns about Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding assessments. While relatives consistently praised the quality of care provided by both homes and expressed a strong desire for residents to remain there, significant concerns were raised about the way CHC assessments and reviews had been conducted.

Relatives reported issues with the assessment process, including short notice of review meetings, cases where family members were not invited or unable to attend, and concerns that assessments were sometimes conducted without sufficient involvement from people who knew the resident well. Some also reported problems with care plans, including factual inaccuracies, missing documents and instances where the wrong care plan was reviewed. There was a widespread perception among relatives that decisions had been made in advance of assessments and that the process lacked transparency, particularly around how eligibility criteria were applied and how decisions were reached. 

Many participants felt poorly informed about their rights and described the CHC process as confusing and difficult to understand. Concerns were also raised about the emotional impact of reviews, with relatives describing stress, anxiety and fears that residents could be forced to leave homes they considered their "home for life". Some believed that assessors did not fully appreciate the consequences of moving vulnerable people living with dementia. There was a clear sense of mistrust between families and the commissioning process, with several people questioning whether financial pressures influenced decisions. 

Healthwatch concluded that trust between NHS Sheffield CCG and many relatives had broken down and recommended a more person-centred, transparent and compassionate approach to CHC assessments. Recommendations included improving communication and accessible information, ensuring families understand the process and eligibility criteria, recognising the emotional impact of reviews, and working more closely with advocacy and voluntary sector organisations. NHS Sheffield CCG accepted the findings, developed an action plan and committed to improving communication, staff training, partnership working and support for families going through the CHC process.