Diabetics receiving money for their own care

Tue, 06 Jul 2010
Three London health trusts are investigating the benefit from setting up a trial scheme to give money directly to those with diabetes to spend on their own care. Diabetes care features in the London PCT health trusts of Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster, while there are eight direct payments pilot schemes in different parts of the country that also involve other long-term conditions.

A number of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are already involved in the pilot scheme for personal health budgets, where people can choose what complementary and support services they use to help them manage their diabetes . However, in this direct payment project the money is provided straight to patients, and not held on their behalf by the PCT or a third party.

Paul Burstow, Care Services Minister, said "Direct payments, and personal health budgets more generally, have great potential to put patients in control, enable integration across health and social care and improve outcomes."

Gavin Terry, Diabetes UK Policy Manager, also pointed out that "Personal health budgets could assist in personalising care for people with long-term conditions like diabetes, particularly in giving people greater choice about how they plan their own support."

"It has been made clear that these budgets will not be used to pay for essential clinical care and that in the event of unforeseen circumstances or complications no-one who holds a personal budget will ever be denied care or support that they have planned for."

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