New NHS budgets could benefit diabetes patients

Fri, 16 Jan 2009
According to recent health care news, new personal budgets could help patients with diabetes to get what they need from the National Health Service . The personal budget programme, which may be introduced under the Health Bill later this year, gives individuals direct cash payments as well as notional budgets.

Professor Jon Glasby of Birmingham University was reported as commenting: "Personal budgets have allowed people in social care to be much more imaginative and use funds more carefully than the system did. There is no reason why this should not happen in health . However, it will need to be carefully introduced."

The chief executive of the NHS Conferederation, Steven Barnett, was reported as commenting: "There is a growing body of evidence to suggest health outcomes are improved when the patient is directly involved in making decisions about their treatment and the way in which care is delivered by NHS staff. There are significant barriers that need to be overcome before this policy is rolled-out nationally. Should patients be allowed to spend their personal budgets on non cost-effective treatments? Should individuals be allowed to top-up their care? Should patients be allowed to invest personal budgets to be spent at a later date? Personal health budgets could revolutionise the way in which care is delivered, but they are not without risks."

For diabetes patients and other patients with chronic diseases the bill could be particularly useful.

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