Individual patient budgets
The intention to introduce individual patient budgets in England was announced in the Health Bill, which was published in January 2009.
Although the idea has been mentioned previously, personal budgets were included in the review of the NHS by health minister Lord Darzi. A similar scheme has already been introduced in social care.
For people with MS, whose condition fluctuates and whose need for service will vary, the idea of individual budgets offers the opportunity for flexibility in making decisions about their care.
However, there are issues that will need to be addressed if the idea is to work to the benefit of people with MS.
- There are issues with calculating an appropriate budget for someone who may be generally in reasonable health but whose health needs increase greatly during relapses. Similarly, budgets will need to take account of potentially increasing needs of someone with progressive MS.
- Particularly for people with relapsing MS, their need for health services will increase at a time when they are feeling at their worst and least inclined to want the extra stress of controlling a budget.
- At all points in the process it is important that people are supported with reliable and impartial information about their options
- The appropriate health services need to be available when required and to succeed as envisioned, this scheme will require greater flexibility from service providers.
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