Personal Health Budgets don’t go far enough!
Personal Health Budgets (PHB) can help and be a valuable tool for handling people's control of their own healthcare support systems. A PHB allows the individual to pay for therapy, care, and activities to support their own recovery. Having a PHB can be a personalized touch and approach to care and has been for a long time, for people with complex and physical health needs.
The Government consulted and extended the legal right for a Personal Health Budget to a broader range of people. This contained individuals who had been discharged from a mental health hospital with a compulsory admission to follow, these individuals are eligible for aftercare services known as Section 117 aftercare. Also, individuals who suffer from ongoing mental health needs make regular and ongoing use of community-based NHS mental health services.
In response to the consultation, the government has now come to the conclusion that they will introduce Personal Health Budgets (PHBs) for individuals discharged from hospital if they follow the compulsory admission for the mental health condition. This shows their recognition of the different needs of the individual’s recovery or management for long-term mental health conditions and supporting people to be creative in the services they use to aid their recovery.
However, there are some disappointments that the government stopped the extension to the right of a PHB to people who regularly use community-based NHS mental health services. One of the issues that the government is facing is how long the Personal Health Budget (PHB) holder should be using the community-based mental health service, which entitles them to a PHB. There are concerns that this doesn’t go far enough in meeting the needs of people experiencing and suffering mental health problems.
Individuals’ mental health needs fluctuate, it can also make provisions for people who experience, shorter periods of being acutely unwell and require a more personalized approach to the services they can access to help with their recovery steps.
As part of a response to the government consultation and surveys held by the Money and Mental Health Policy institute research community found that people who have mental health problems wanted more choice and control over the services they use.
A Personal Health Budget (PHB) is a personalized way for you to manage and implement your own care at home. The monies provided can be used to recruit your own care staff, train your care staff, and buy the training equipment needed to aid your recovery. It can be managed by the Personal Health Budget Holder, a Third Party company such as secure personal assistants.
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