Personal health budgets for children and young people
Personal health budgets are provided by the NHS to help people manage their health care in a way that suits them.
A personal health budget is an amount of money to support your identified health and wellbeing needs, planned and agreed between you and your local NHS team.
The aim is to give people with long term conditions and disabilities, greater choice and control over the healthcare and support they receive.
You can use your personal health budget for a range of things to help you meet your goals, including therapies, personal care and equipment.
If you already have a personal budget for care and support from social services, and your NHS team agrees, you can also have a personal health budget and ask for both to be paid into the same account.
Child personal health budget
If your child is living with a significant or complex health need, that requires a care package at home, you may be eligible to receive NHS Continuing Care.
If your child is assessed as eligible for Continuing Care, the agreed care package can be provided through a personal health budget, as long as reassurances are obtained to ensure the care is safe and meets the needs of your child.
To find out more, see the Children and Young People's Continuing Care National Framework guidance on the government's website.
You can also talk to the person who helps most with your child's care, such as your Community Children's Nurse or GP or contact the Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB Children's Continuing Care Team at hwicb.childrenscc@nhs.net to arrange to discuss your child's needs.
Adult personal health budget
Adults receiving NHS Continuing Healthcare have a right to receive a personal health budget. In Herefordshire, a personal health budget is available to adults who are registered with a county based GP and living in their own home.
To find out more, see the information available on the NHS website.
Alternatively, you can also speak to the person who helps most with your care and support, such as your Care Manager or GP.
National support
Peoplehub provides information and guides on personal health budgets.
They also offer a Peoplehub Community, where you can connect and share stories and experiences with other people who have a personal health budget.