Does your CCG need some practical help and advice to support the further roll-out of personal health budgets? The Government’s Mandate expects 50,000 -100,000 personal health budgets (PHBs) by 2020/21, as well as CCG responsibilities regarding the legal right to have a personal health budget for people who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare and continuing care for children. The Next Steps on the Five Year Forward View published in March 2017 further promotes supporting disabled people and people with complex health needs through personal health budgets, with plans to reach in excess of 40,000 people by 2019.

In Control have been helping Commissioners within Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) who are responsible for ensuring that the governance (financial, safeguarding and clinical aspects) of PHBs are proportionate and that all budgets are spent in demonstrable ways of meeting the outcomes of the agreed personal care and support plans. This has been both strategic and individually. Julie Stansfield from In Control has worked with a range of CCGs to devise an internal pathway policy for Personal Health Budgets. This has included becoming a critical friend to the PHB lead and operational group and supporting with the sticky issues that occur as people are working their way through the process for both children and adults. Julie has also played the role of independent representative in circumstances of complexity, complaint or multi-agency involvement.

If you want to hear more about this range of support you can contact Julie directly at: admin@in-control.org.uk  Or become part of In Control’s Community Of Change.