Hi. I am new to this but wondered if anyone could help.
My 20 year old son is severely autistic and goes to daycare 5 days a week which is a 45 minute drive away. He was social care funded (including transport) but was reviewed and found to have a primary health need so is now funded by health.
They have agreed his needs but the Care Commissioning Group are not willing to pay for his transport costs. They will pay for the escort to keep him safe but not the taxi costs. His daycare places are very specialist and there is nowhere nearer.
He gets high rate mobility pip which we use towards a car but obviously he cannot drive himself. His needs cannot be met unless he can get there. Does anyone have any advice?
Hi Gabriel
The Clinical Commissioning Group is obliged to fund a complete package of health and social care for a person who is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare. If this day service is part of the package, getting there is not optional. They may have to pay for a driver of your son’s car as well as someone to be with your son, if the same person can’t do both jobs safely.
If you need more advice about your son’s rights and how to complain, there is a free advice service: http://www.beaconchc.co.uk/
Best wishes
Alison
Hi Alison, that is so helpful, thank you. I have accessed the link and will follow up with a call to their helpline.
The CCG are telling me they won’t pay for his transport costs as they are too expensive. (£86 each way each day). He travels in a taxi (minibus) with an escort. He sits in the back to keep him away from the driver for safety reasons. He cannot get there without this service and the consequence of change psychologically doesn’t bear thinking about. His care is very specialist and there isn’t anywhere nearer, I have searched!!
You say it is not optional and I agree but I wondered if you know if there is anywhere this is written into the legal framework as they are not listening to me.
You could use the escort as the driver for the mobility car, and this could be costed for the there and back twice a day. the question would be how many people need to be in the car, and would you still need to be the driver?
This can be done via personal health budget. This could be discussed with the commissioners to see what fits with his primary health care needs.
regards
I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything more specific to quote to them. The impact on both of you ought to be the key factor of course and you can try human rights arguments. When push comes to shove, the NHS can decide what it will and won’t offer - but they do have to abide by the Human Rights Act