Guidance

NHS continuing healthcare fast track pathway tool

Identify individuals who need to be fast tracked for immediate provision of NHS continuing healthcare.

• From: Department of Health and Social Care
• Published: 1 March 2018
• Last updated: 20 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 20 October 2026

     Updated the NHS continuing healthcare fast track pathway tool and associated guidance for ease of use and to improve clarity. The fast track pathway tool is now presented as a standard version and an accessible version, both available in Word and ODT formats.

  2. 23 August 2022

     Added HTML, PDF, Word and ODT versions of the guidance and referral form, including accessible versions.

  3. 30 May 2022

     Updated to reflect changes to the national framework in 2022. Equalities monitoring questions brought in line with the latest NHS England patient level data set (launched in April 2022).

  4. 1 March 2018

     First published.

Documents

Fast track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare - guidance

HTML

Fast track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare

MS Word Document, 73.4 KB

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Fast track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare

ODT, 43.5 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@dhsc.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Fast track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare (accessible version)

MS Word Document, 56.3 KB

Fast track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare (accessible version)

ODT, 34.9 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Details

Use this tool to identify individuals who need to be fast tracked for immediate provision of NHS continuing healthcare due to a rapidly deteriorating condition that may mean individuals are entering a terminal phase.

The tool is a form to be completed by the referring clinician. It is published in Word and ODT formats.