Understanding CHC in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent represents one of England's sharpest urban-rural health divides. Stoke-on-Trent has consistently high health deprivation rankings, high smoking prevalence, high obesity rates, and limited social care infrastructure; families here face genuine scarcity of care home beds and domiciliary care providers. Staffordshire county areas are more affluent and have more abundant care provision, but distance and transport create barriers for some. This geographic variation means CHC commissioning timelines and availability of funded care packages differ substantially depending on where you live within the ICB area—a family in urban Stoke may wait 8+ weeks for care to be arranged post-CHC approval, while rural Staffordshire families may find care more readily available.
The ICB's health inequalities are the primary driver of CHC demand. Stoke-on-Trent's population suffers from high rates of smoking-related disease (COPD, lung cancer), cardiovascular disease, and complex mental health needs. These conditions often result in CHC eligibility, but the ICB's limited care infrastructure means approved families then struggle to find suitable placements. The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), which runs the Royal Stoke University Hospital, is the regional teaching hospital handling high volumes of urgent and complex cases; CHC triage can be delayed if UHNM's capacity is stretched.
A critical issue in this ICB is the availability of mental health-focused CHC. Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (the mental health provider) and the main acute trust do not always align on whether a patient's primary need is health or social care. Families of relatives with psychosis, severe bipolar disorder, or treatment-resistant depression often report that mental health needs are 'minimized' in CHC assessments, or that the ICB argues community mental health services are sufficient. Advocacy here requires explicit documentation of treatment failure, crisis episodes, and hospitalization patterns.
CHC approval statistics for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Standard-route assessments, 12 months to June 2026. How we calculate this
Approval rate
16.9%
National average: 17.7%
Assessments completed
1,084
183 found eligible
England ranking
23 of 36
14th highest approval rate of 36 ICBs
Currently receiving CHC
762
39.2 per 50,000 adults
Local resolution requests
21
1 changed to eligible (4.8%)
Year-on-year change
−0.3pp
vs the previous 12 months
How Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent compares — 12 months to June 2026
Quarterly approval rate, last 12 quarters
Individual quarters move for reasons unrelated to how an ICB assesses — a backlog cleared in one period can swing the rate sharply. The 12-month figure above is the more reliable measure.
Ranked 23 of 36 ICBs on the 12-month rate · Source: NHS England
What this means
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent's 16.9% approval rate over the last 12 months sits broadly in line with the national average of 17.7% — roughly 1 in 6 people assessed through the standard route receives a positive decision. The evidence presented at the DST assessment remains the single most important factor within a family's control.
See how every ICB compares: the CHC approval rate ranking for all 36 ICBs.
How to apply for CHC funding in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is assessed and funded by your local Integrated Care Board. If you live in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trentarea, here's what you need to know.
Step 1: Request a CHC screening
You can request a CHC Checklist screening at any time — in hospital, at home, or in a care home. Contact your GP or the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent CHC team on 0300 123 1461 to start the process.
Step 2: The Checklist assessment
A healthcare professional will complete the CHC Checklist with you. If you score positively on two or more domains (or one domain at "priority" level), you'll be referred for a full assessment.
Step 3: The full Decision Support Tool assessment
A multidisciplinary team will carry out a comprehensive assessment using the Decision Support Tool (DST). This evaluates your needs across 12 care domains.
Advocacy tips for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
These tips are specific to applying for CHC in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent area.
action
If you live in Stoke-on-Trent and are approved for CHC, plan ahead for care finding: contact the ICB's care commissioning team immediately after approval to begin placement searches, as availability is tight.
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If your relative has a mental health condition, ensure mental health specialists (psychiatrist or psychology) are directly involved in the CHC assessment; do not allow the ICB to dismiss mental health as purely social care.
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Document all crisis admissions, emergency department visits, and inpatient psychiatric episodes in writing; these demonstrate health complexity beyond what community services can manage.
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For rural Staffordshire families, clarify which trust-area your GP is registered with; this determines CHC assessment venue and some commissioning decisions.
action
If assessment is delayed at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, escalate via the hospital's patient advocate team to push for prioritization; UHNM capacity issues sometimes lead to assessment backlogs.
Hospital trusts in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
These are the main NHS trusts whose patients may be assessed for CHC in this area. If your relative is being discharged from one of these hospitals, ask the ward about CHC screening.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stafford Hospital
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Contact Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Phone
0300 123 1461Website
Visit website →Address
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, New Beacon Building, Stafford Education and Enterprise Park, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0BF
Visit the official Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent CHC page →
Frequently asked questions
I live in Stoke-on-Trent and was approved for CHC. Why is it taking so long to arrange care?
Stoke-on-Trent has limited care home and domiciliary care capacity. The ICB is required to arrange suitable care, but this may take 6-12 weeks post-approval. Contact the ICB's care commissioning team regularly for updates. If no care is arranged within 12 weeks, escalate to your local Healthwatch or council.
My relative has depression. Is this enough for CHC, or is it just social care?
Mental health alone does not guarantee CHC, but treatment-resistant or severe mental illness causing significant functional impairment (inability to manage personal care, self-harm risk, etc.) can meet the primary health need test. Ensure a psychiatrist or mental health specialist completes your assessment; do not accept assessment by general health assessors alone.
Who is responsible for my CHC—the acute hospital trust or the mental health trust?
Both trusts are responsible for participating in the multi-disciplinary team assessment, but the ICB (not either trust) is responsible for CHC decision-making and commissioning. If you encounter disputes between trusts, escalate to the ICB's CHC team directly via enquiries@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk.
What happens if I am discharged from hospital before CHC is approved?
The ICB must arrange temporary funded care while the CHC assessment continues. This is called a 'package pending decision' or 'bridging care'. Request this explicitly in writing if you are being discharged pre-decision. Without it, you and your family become liable for interim care costs.