Where do personal health budgets fit in the new commissioning landscape?

This seminar, the second of a series hosted in partnership with the Department of Health, explored how personal health budgets fit into the new policy landscape engendered by the passing of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Event

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This seminar, the second of a series hosted by the Nuffield Trust in partnership with the Department of Health, explored how personal health budgets fit into the new policy landscape created by the introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

We were delighted to welcome speakers including:

  • Sir Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and NHS Future Forum Lead: Choice and Competition, who considered what personal health budgets mean for commissioning and choice;
  • Jo Fitzgerald, Co-Founder, Peoplehub, on her experiences as a personal health budget holder;
  • Richard Jones, Executive Director for Adult and Community Services, Lancashire County Council, on the lessons the NHS can learn from social care as it rolls out personal health budgets;
  • Gill Ruecroft from Northamptonshire’s Personal Health Budget Pilot, who described Northamptonshire’s pilot experience and focussed on how personal health budgets can be integrated into the new landscape of clinical commissioning.

The event was chaired by Dr Alison Austin, Head of Personal Health Budgets Team, Policy Unit, Department of Health.

During the event delegates had the opportunity to:

  • Reflect on the potential opportunities and risks of introducing personal health budgets across the NHS;
  • Identify barriers that may block implementation of personal health budgets;
  • Consider what lessons the NHS can learn from social care;
  • Explore the potential of personal health budgets to deliver change to the efficiency and quality of services.

The first in this series of seminars focused on personal health budgets and their role in the development of commissioning.