Personal Health Budgets Explained

25/03/2015

Personal Health Budgets were created as part of the Health and Social Care Act of 2012, and form a key part of the government's vision to modernise the NHS and to enable people with long term conditions and disabilities to have greater choice, flexibility and control over the health care and support they receive.

A Personal Health Budget is basically a sum of money that is allocated by the NHS to fund care and support for those with long-term health needs. It will allow individuals for the first time to decide what care they need, how they want their care delivered and by whom.

Since October 2014 adults eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare and children in receipt of continuing care have had a right to have a personal health budget.

From April 2015 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be looking at who else in their local population could benefit from having their care delivered through a personal health budget.

Personal Health Budgets for people with Spinal Cord Injury

There are many people currently living with Spinal Cord Injury who are currently in receipt of NHS Continuing Care, who could benefit greatly from a transition to a Personal Health Budget because this will allow them the opportunity to plan and design their own individual care plan.

There are also a large number of people with Spinal Cord Injury who do not receive NHS Continuing Care who have to rely on social care provided by the Local Authority, or on the help and support of family members and friends.

For this group of people with SCI, the introduction of Personal Health Budgets provides an opportunity to demonstrate a primary health need and to access a level of care that will provide them with a level of independence that they may not be currently experiencing.

How can Aspire Law help?

Aspire Law has a dedicated team of solicitors who are expert in this field. There are in fact a number of ways that we can help people with Spinal Cord Injury to better understand Personal Health Budgets.

General Help and Signposting

We are always happy to have an informal discussion with clients who just need some general advice to signposting to an appropriate advocacy service

Acquiring a Personal Health Budget

We work with a range of independent medical professionals who can visit you at home and together we build a compelling case that we present to your CCG

Appeals

If you have already been turned down for a Personal Health Budget, we can lodge an appeal on your behalf

Negotiation of budget

We negotiate on your behalf to make sure that the budget awarded is sufficient to meet all of your needs

Budget Management

Once a budget is fixed we can help you to set up a care plan and to recruit and pay the care providers that you wish to employ

For more information about Personal Health Budgets, you can contact Paula Barnes on 0800 030 20 40 or email Paula.barnes@aspirelaw.co.uk.

Read more about Personal Health Care budgets.