Personal Health Budgets

Your NHS worker or Care Co-Ordinator will complete an assessment of needs by asking you questions about what you need for your health and wellbeing. Your assessment needs are calculated into a ‘indicative budget’, this is your budget allocation.

Your NHS worker or Care Co-Ordinator will work with you, and those that support you, to decide how to best use your Personal Health Budget. This is written in a support plan, which both you and your NHS worker or Care Co-Ordinator will sign.

Once a personal care plan has been agreed, the NHS money in a Personal Health Budget can be managed in three ways:

• Direct Payment: The money is transferred directly to the individual, and they buy the goods and services agree in their care plan.
• A notional budget: The NHS hold the money and buys or provides the goods and services this individual has chosen.
• A budget held by a third-party: An organisation legally independent of the individual and the NHS holds the money on their behalf, and buys or provides the goods and services chosen.

A Personal Health Budget gives you more choice and control over the support you receive. It allows you to think of new ways to meet your health and wellbeing needs, providing you with greater flexibility over how and when you receive care.  

Our team can help you with:

• Support from our team of Independent Living Coordinators based across Cumbria
• Staff recruitment, employment contracts and insurance
• Advice on employment matters, arranging DBS checks and training for your staff
• Running a fully supported Payroll Service for your staff

For people who need additional support, our team also provide a Managed Accounts Service. From making payments to paying Personal Assistants, our team will work with you to help you manage your Personal Health Budget.