Paying for Care & NHS CHC Funding MBL Seminars with Cate Searle
Cate Searle, Director and Head of Community Care Law, leads expert seminars and training for MBL.
Challenging NHS Continuing Health Care Decisions
Many practitioners are aware that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure a positive NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) decision for our clients, or to retain our clients’ valuable NHS CHC award in the long term.
The latest NHS England statistics illustrate that fewer than 47,000 adults in England qualify for NHS CHC, with almost a third of these being under the Fast Track Pathway.
Meanwhile only 21% of Local Resolution Panels are successful in overturning the CCG’s ineligible decision.
This new advanced virtual classroom seminar is aimed at people who have experience of running challenges against negative NHS CHC eligibility decisions.
This live and interactive session will cover the following:
- Challenging a negative checklist screen-out decision
- Challenges based on procedural flaws in the assessment or decision-making process, including case law updates
- Challenges based on the domain scores – which evidence & arguments to use and which to avoid
- Challenges based on the four key indicators of a primary healthcare need
- Inter-agency disputes about eligibility: persuading Social Services to get off the fence after a negative eligibility decision
- Representation at CCG Local Resolution Panel or NHS England Independent Review Panels – tips & tactics
- When to consider Judicial Review or the Ombudsman
- Seeking permission to litigate in NHS CHC appeals – the professional deputy team and Re ACC
- Challenging commissioning decisions after a successful CHC eligibility decision
Event Dates
Friday 9 January 2026 – 1.00pm – 4.00pm
For more information about this event, or to book, please visit the Challenging NHS Continuing Healthcare Decisions page
Paying for Care & Securing Funding Masterclass – All You Need to Know
“Cate, as always, retains your attention with hands on experience and discussion”
DV, Private Client Solicitor
“Very knowledgeable and good relation of specific examples” – PA, Trust & Tax Practitioner
This practical and tactical in-person masterclass is designed for professional deputy and private client law teams who have a working knowledge of the health and social care funding systems and want to know how to run successful public law challenges that make a difference for their clients.
This interactive session will leave you equipped with everything you will ever need to know about paying for care.
What You Will Learn
This masterclass will cover all the tools you need to assist and represent your client in common and complex care funding matters including:
- Challenging misleading information or unlawful decisions from Health or Social Services, including blanket policies
- Top-up issues for care homes and care at home and arbitrary caps on funding for care packages
- Disputes involving needs v preferences, discretionary decisions and top tips for the most effective challenge letter
- Lawful Health and Social Services assessment processes, including safe hospital discharge
- Deprivation allegations against your client or their family, including allegations of financial abuse, safeguarding and OPG investigations; and recovery action taken by Social Services
- Challenging NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility and commissioning decisions
- Clients with PI settlements and CCG or Local Authority disputes as to their duty to fund care costs on the grounds of double recovery
- Section 117 Mental Health Act 1983 aftercare funding
- The distinction between a health need and a social care need
- Disputes involving property disregards and joint beneficial ownership
Event Dates for Paying for Care & Securing Funding Masterclass
- London – Wednesday 21 January 2026 – 9.30am – 5.15pm
To find out more about this Seminar, or to book, view the Paying For Care And Securing Funding – All You Need To Know Event Page
Paying for Care & Securing Funding Masterclass – All You Need to Know
This practical and tactical live broadcast session is designed for professional deputy and private client law teams who have a working knowledge of the health and social care funding systems and want to know how to run successful public law challenges that make a difference for their clients.
This live and interactive session will cover all the tools you need to assist and represent your client in common and complex care funding matters including:
- Challenging misleading information or unlawful decisions from Health or Social Services, including blanket policies
- Top-up issues for care homes and care at home and arbitrary caps on funding for care packages
- Disputes involving needs v preferences, discretionary decisions and top tips for the most effective challenge letter
- Lawful Health and Social Services assessment processes, including safe hospital discharge
- Deprivation allegations against your client or their family, including allegations of financial abuse, safeguarding and OPG investigations; and recovery action taken by Social Services
- Challenging NHS CHC eligibility and commissioning decisions
- Clients with PI settlements and CCG or Local Authority disputes as to their duty to fund care costs on the grounds of double recovery
- Section 117 Mental Health Act 1983 after care funding
- The distinction between a health need and a social care need
- Disputes involving property disregards and joint beneficial ownership
Event Dates
Part 1: Wednesday 4 February 2026 – 9.30am – 12.30pm
Part 2: Thursday 5 February 2026 – 9.30am – 12.30pm
To find out more about this seminar, or to book, visit the Paying For Care and Securing Funding Masterclass page
An Introduction to NHS Continuing Health Care & Other Types of NHS Funding
The paying for care rules continue to be a source of concern for many clients – how a person’s long-term care needs should be funded, and how much they may need to spend in their lifetime.
This new virtual classroom seminar is designed for people who want to develop their knowledge about NHS Continuing Health Care (‘NHS CHC’) and other types of NHS funding, but who do not yet have any or much experience in running cases.
This live and interactive session will cover the following:
- What are the main types of NHS funding available to our clients?
- Why is NHS CHC so valuable to our clients?
- Why is it so hard to qualify for NHS CHC? – statistics and fake news
- A brief history of NHS CHC and useful resources
- How to distinguish between social care and health care needs – case studies
- The NHS CHC assessment process – the Checklist and the Decision Support Tool
- The care domains and the four key indicators
- Establishing eligibility for NHS CHC – case studies
- How to appeal negative decisions
Event Dates for An Introduction to NHS Continuing Health Care
Wednesday 4 March 2026 – 9.00am – 12.00pm
To find out more about this Seminar, or to book, view the Introduction to NHS Continuing Health Care & Other Types of NHS Funding event page
Our Community Care Law team can design and deliver in house training on any of the above topics for your private client team or your organisation. To find out more, contact us today on 01273609911, or email info@ms-solicitors.co.uk.
