The Continuing Healthcare pressure shift
The pressure to get Continuing Healthcare back on track, whilst also observing financial plans has not eased – rather, it has shifted to ensuring that CHC funding is accurately allocated to meet individuals' needs. Liaison Care Managing Director, Phil Church, looks at this pressure shift...
29 January 2025
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The financial pressures on Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) continue to mount, with recent figures indicating that 39 out of 42 ICSs are behind their financial plans as of the end of 2024 (HSJ).
This is a stark reminder of the ongoing fiscal challenges faced by the NHS, which have only intensified as the need for financial stability becomes more urgent. In response, NHS England’s Chief Financial Officer, Julian Kelly, has reiterated that providers and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) must deliver on the financial targets they set at the start of the year.
For ICB leaders, the message is clear: action is needed now to ensure financial plans are met before year-end.
In Continuing Healthcare (CHC), backlog and funding pressures intensified during and following the pandemic, with reviews put on hold whilst CHC teams were deployed to other areas of much-needed focus. Liaison Care has helped to tackle this problem for ICBs by partnering with CHC teams to clear their review backlogs, giving local teams extra time to focus on keeping up to date with newer funding reviews.
And whilst this approach was essential to getting CHC back on track, the pressure has not eased – rather, it has shifted to ensuring that CHC funding is accurately allocated to meet individuals’ needs, with clear clinical adherence to the CHC Framework, all while observing financial plans.
Liaison Care continues to adapt to the evolving needs of CHC teams within ICBs. From offering high-quality clinical support for reviews, to alleviating the pressure on internal teams, our unique, flexible, contingent-based services help ICBs manage their financial constraints while delivering care that consistently meets the needs of individuals.
As Managing Director for Liaison Care, I am committed to ensuring that individuals receive the care packages they need, while also helping ICBs meet their financial targets. Our proven approach has delivered substantial savings across systems, and always underpinned by ensuring that packages of care are right for each person we assess.
Our team of healthcare and social care professionals, supported by an advisory board of senior clinical and financial experts from across the NHS, offers unparalleled insight into the challenges facing CHC teams. By working collaboratively, we provide solutions that not only address immediate backlogs, but also provide legacy options for sustainable financial health.
The financial pressures on ICSs and ICBs are not going away anytime soon, but with the right support, there is an opportunity to navigate these challenges effectively. Liaison Care is here to help, offering extremely high-quality clinical support, and driving cost-effective solutions that ensure CHC funding is both accurate and efficient.
To learn more about how Liaison Care can partner with you to help ease financial pressures while improving care delivery, please get in touch.