The NHS Long Term Plan set the ambition for 200,000 people to benefit from personal health budgets (PHBs) by 2024. The Personal health budget quality framework will support integrated care boards (ICBs) to build on and share best practice, enabling the life changing outcomes that personal health budgets can deliver for people and their families. The framework covers what a personal health budget is, key principles and enablers for delivery and the six steps of the process, including quality standards and what a person with a personal health budget can expect. By focusing on improving operational delivery, the framework can support systems to deliver high quality care, improve the experience of personal health budget holders, develop workforce confidence and ensure value for money.

Developed with people with lived experience and partner organisations, the framework echoes the national commitment to quality and the need to provide personalised care for all as set out in to A shared commitment to quality. Organisations, and those that work in them, can only benefit from having the voice of lived experience shaping and developing personal health budget offers alongside them as equal partners.

Forzana’s story

My personal health budget gave me the freedom to choose what was right for me and that has helped me tremendously in managing my illness and mobility. As a result, my experience of living with multiple conditions has improved. Since having my personal health budget, I have fewer hospital admissions and falls which has resulted in peace of mind for everyone involved in my care. Previously, I had to follow a routine that sometimes made my condition worse due to the lack of flexibility in when my carers came, when I could eat and when I could leave my home.

Because of the impact of the personal health budget on my health and wellbeing, I have been able to try new things, like completing the Peer Leadership Development Programme and joining the NHS England national strategic coproduction group. With the help of my brilliant carers, I was able to contribute to the development of the Personal health budget quality framework.

Helping to shape the framework, which will improve the experience of others, was vital to me as at times I’ve had my own challenges in receiving and using a personal health budget. I don’t want others to go through what I did.

I feel really proud of this work. I want personal health budgets and the opportunity to be involved in co-production to be a reality for everyone. As a development team we worked respectfully, transparently, and as equal partners with a focus on ensuring everyone has personalised care.

My hope is that my contribution will help others have a better experience of receiving and using a personal health budget. It’s helpful to know that if what you need is not available through traditional health services, your needs really do matter and there are other options to explore.

To find out more about personal health budgets and for additional resources to support professionals take a look at our website, join the Personalised Care Collaborative Network (login required) and follow us on Twitter @Pers_Care