Glossary
If you’re not working in the Adult Social Care field you might be overwhelmed by the number of acronyms, initialisms and jargon used on a daily basis. We’ve broken down some of the most common terms below to help you navigate the care system more effectively.
CHC
Stands for Continuing Healthcare. This is a branch of NHS funding that pays for the care costs of people with high health needs. In order to qualify for Continuing Healthcare you will need to have an assessment with a nursing professional, and usually a social worker and other professionals involved in your care as well. It’s important to prepare well for this assessment, as people who qualify for full Continuing Healthcare do not have to contribute towards the cost of their care.
CHC Checklist
A Continuing Healthcare Checklist is an initial document completed by a health or social care professional to determine if you are eligible for a full assessment or not. The checklist goes through the different areas of your health and care, called ‘domains’, and gives you a score in each area. If you achieve a certain score you will be eligible for a full assessment.
DST
Stands for Decision Support Tool. This is the name of the full Continuing Healthcare assessment. Your DST is led by a nursing professional, and should also include you, your family or other support people, any other professionals who are involved in your health or care (such as a social worker, occupational therapist, or consultant), and an advocate if needed. Unfortunately, we often find barriers to people accessing Continuing Healthcare, which is why it’s vital to prepare for your DST in advance. Socia Partners offers a service to those hoping for additional support during a DST meeting- click here to find out more.
Any questions?
See our FAQs and glossary, or get in touch to ask us what you need to know.
How does your service differ from traditional locum social work?
Another huge benefit of our service is how it reduces pressure on your senior members of staff. Unlike locum social workers, who require supervision and frequent input from seniors and managers, we manage projects in house. This saves time, protects workloads and is more cost effective.
Are there any risks to my Local Authority?
Which Councils have you worked with?
How do you price your services?
What areas of social work do you specialise in?
We are a specialist Adult Social Care service, and have years of experience working within Older Adults, Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities and Mental Health teams completing review and assessment projects. We also consider ourselves experts in Continuing Healthcare and supporting Local Authorities to save millions through effective CHC funding applications. Please see our CHC assessments page to find out more.