I am currently supporting a severely asthmatic Occupational Therapy student
with her claim for NHS funding through the DSA for the cost of a portable
nebuliser. The student purchased this at the beginning of her course and is
now wishing to put in a retrospective claim for its reimursement. The
equipment allows her to administer her medication quickly and efficiently
without the use of an electrical source and is therefore extremely useful
during the teaching day when she would otherwise have to leave lectures and
other teaching sessions in order to take her Ventolin.
Her funding body's objection to the claim seems to lie in the fact that it
is being claimed retrospectively. My argument is that although she may have
been a little premature in purchasing the device, it was not something that
she could have reasonably waited for, bearing in mind that claims can
sometimes take a fairly long time to process - especially at the beginning
of the year when support staff become inundated. In addition, the same
funding body has accepted retrospective claims for the cost of study skills
support sessions from dyslexic students over an academic year!
Has anyone had a similar experience and, if so, what was the outcome? Also,
if the NHS funding body doesn't shift in their decision, does anyone know
of other sources which may help? The claim has the full backing of the
Course Leader.
Amanda Shaw
Brunel University, UK
[log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|