Personal health budgets
A personal health budget is an amount of money allocated to meet your assessed health needs. At the centre of a personal health budget is a care or support plan that is agreed with your local NHS team. It gives you the chance to plan meaningful goals. This could help with the prevention of crises, greater self-management of your care and improved quality of life.
Personal Health Budgets work in a similar way to direct payments which are used to manage and pay for their social care. They give parents and young people more choice and control over how they are supported. A personal budget differs from a personal health budget in that it is a joint package of care, which is funded between the local authority and the clinical commissioning group.
You will know how much money is available and be able to set out how your budget will be used to achieve the health outcomes in your Support Plan and the support you need to do this. The support plan should also include information on how the budget will be managed and what will be done to manage risk and stay healthy and safe. This may include a direct payment or a budget that is managed by a third party.
Who can have a personal health budget?
Children and young people who are eligible for Continuing Care funding are able to have the health part of their support provided as a personal health budget, as part of an Education and Healthcare Plan (EHCP).
Those who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS-funded long term health and personal care provided outside hospital), have had the right to have a personal health budget.
Personal Health Budgets are gradually being made available to other people, who could benefit from them. Since April 2016 people with Learning Disabilities, who are jointly funded by health and social care or who are in receipt of Section 117 funding, have had the right to ask for a personal health budget/personal budget. This will not include any services that are currently provided via block contracts, e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, continence products etc. The offer of a personal health budget has now been extended to those people, who receive a joint package of care for mental health conditions (Section 117) and physical disabilities.
Shropshire, Staffordshire and Stoke: the seven step approach
Clinical Commissioning Groups in Shropshire, Staffordshire and Stoke have developed a seven step process, in conjunction with local councils and other partners, to provide Personal Health Budgets to people who are eligible for Continuing Healthcare.
How can I find out more?
If you would like more information about personal health budgets, please contact the personal health budget team to discuss the next steps:
Phone: 01743 277528
Email: threesphb@nhs.net
Someone from the team will contact you as soon as possible.
The team supports and covers the whole of Staffordshire and both children or young people and adults.