Full DST Assessment Support
The Decision Support Tool (DST) assessment is the full multidisciplinary assessment that determines CHC eligibility. We attend as your clinical advocate, challenge under-scoring across all 12 domains, and fight for the primary health need finding.
What does DST Assessment Support include?
The Decision Support Tool (DST) is a structured assessment completed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) - typically including a nurse, social worker, and other professionals involved in the person's care. It covers 12 domains: behaviour, cognition, psychological and emotional needs, communication, mobility, nutrition, continence, skin integrity, breathing, drug therapies, altered states of consciousness, and other significant care needs.
For CHC to be awarded, a "primary health need" must be established - meaning the person's overall care needs are primarily driven by health rather than social care. SG67's role is to ensure the MDT has the full clinical picture it needs to make that determination accurately.
Who is this for?
This service is for you if:
Your loved one has passed the CHC Checklist and has a DST assessment scheduled
A DST assessment has already taken place and the outcome does not accurately reflect the person's needs
You want an experienced registered nurse to attend the MDT meeting as a clinical advocate
You believe one or more domains were incorrectly scored in a previous DST
You are concerned the MDT does not have access to the full picture of your loved one's care needs
What We Do
When SG67 takes on a case, we manage the process from start to finish:
Conduct a detailed pre-assessment review of all medical records, care notes, and previous assessments
Prepare a comprehensive clinical summary to present to the MDT
Attend the DST meeting as a registered nurse advocate
Challenge any domain scoring that does not reflect the person's actual needs
Ensure the nature, intensity, complexity, and unpredictability of needs are properly documented
Advocate for a primary health need finding where the clinical evidence supports it
Follow up on the outcome and advise on next steps - including appeal - if the decision is disputed
Where CHC is awarded following a DST assessment, the NHS funds the full cost of the person's assessed care needs - potentially saving families £40,000–£100,000 or more per year in care costs.