Personal Health Budgets
Some NHS patients in England are being given greater choice and control over their NHS continuing healthcare needs.
What Are Personal Health Budgets?
A Personal Health Budget (PHB) is a way in which you are able to have choice and control over your own healthcare and support. It is an amount of money that is given by the NHS to enable you to buy in your own services and care. Your healthcare will be managed by you & your NHS support/health team. At the centre of the PHB is your support plan. This helps you to decide your health goals, working together with your healthcare team.
You will be told how much money you are entitled to, but you decide on the best way to spend the money. Some people may already be receiving a Personal Budget (Direct Payment) from Social Services. PHB works in a very similar way.
What Does This mean For Me?
If you choose to have a PHB you will be given 3 different choices of how you manage your budget:
The Notional Budget –
The NHS tells you the amount of money you will receive for your care. You tell them how you want to spend it and they will arrange the care and support for you.
Real Budget–
This is held by a 3rd party, like a voluntary organisation or care agency. They will look after the money, arrange your care and support you to decide how to spend your funding.
Direct Payments–
If you already have a Direct Payment from Social Services the transition over to NHS would not affect your care services. A Direct Payment enables you to have control over your NHS healthcare. You then choose how the funds are spent. Whichever Personal Health Budget method you choose it must be agreed between your NHS healthcare team and yourself.
What Can I Use It For?
- Pain relief; relaxation; massage or maybe aromatherapy.
- Getting out and about; travel expenses.
- Funding leisure activities or maybe buying equipment for hobbies that motivate you.
- One to one support that would pay for a travel companion to go places with you.
What Cant I Use It For?
Treatments such as medicine that the NHS would not normally pay for due to them not being cost effective.
- Anything illegal
- Gambling
- Debt repayment
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
Independent Living Advisor: Sonya Collins
Telephone: 07760 211 132
Email: sonya.collins@dais.org.uk
Web: http://www.dais.org.uk/