New Consultation on Personal Health Budgets Launched

Care Services Minister Phil Hope Launched a new consultation on Personal Health Budgets. Personal health budgets are being piloted in primary care trusts until 2012 – direct payments will form part of these. Personal health budgets will help to create a more personalised NHS, by giving people more choice and control over how money is spent on their care.
Personal health budgets can work in three ways: A notional budget held by a commissioner; a budget managed on the individual’s behalf by a third party, or a cash payment to an individual. Trusts are already able to offer the first two options, which do not involve giving money directly to individuals. The consultation seeks views on the rules for making direct payments as well as proposals for setting up and evaluating direct payment pilots. It will run until 8 January 2010. This consultation will inform the regulations and guidance to make direct payments happen.