'Medical opinions ignored' by NHS payment assessor, workers say
Medical opinions have been ignored in the assessment of NHS payments to patients receiving care, it is claimed.Three health workers said an assessor organisation discounted medical views so some patients were denied NHS care.Norman Lamb MP said England-wide data obtained by the BBC showed a "regional disparity" and was "an injustice". However the assessor organisation, Arden and Greater East Midlands CSU, says it follows national guidelines to decide on payments. Under national criteria, the NHS pays for long-term support and care if a patient's condition is severe enough.However, BBC Inside Out East has found a wide difference among clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England in the percentage of patients rejected following assessment for continuing health care (CHC).Between July 2016...