The Department of Health has announced the further rollout of personal health budgets.

It follows a series of pilots.

The DH will now invest £1.5m in the hope that by 2014, it will be available to 56,000 people on the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme - an initiative for patients who suffer from complex medical conditions who require a lot of care and support.

The move give them more choice and control over the care they receive, according to care and support minister Norman Lamb.

During this, one patient who suffered from depression used the budget to pay for a therapist and to begin a dress-making hobby. Another who suffered from chronic lung disease used the money for singing lessons.

A male patient with motor neurone disease used his personal budget for a modified bicycle and a gym membership. Other patients used the scheme to employ carers to look after them at home.

The budgets will allow patients to have more control over the treatment they receive instead of simply getting care set out by the NHS.

Patients will be able to access the budgets through their local NHS.

They will have to work with clinicians to decide how the money would best be spent to benefit their health.

“Independent analysis has now shown that personal health budgets can put people back in control of their care and make a significant difference to their quality of life,” Mr Lamb said.

“It’s inspiring to hear the human stories of success that these budgets have brought to people.

“The evaluation shows that those with the greatest needs benefit most from personal health budgets.

“That’s why we are giving people on NHS Continuing Healthcare the chance to get one first.

“And, I hope more people who could benefit will be given the option of one.”

Charity In Control pioneered the concept of personal budgets in social care.

Julie Stansfield, chief executive officer of In Control said: “We are extremely pleased, as we know many families will be, to see such strong evidence that enabling people to self-direct their health support via personal health budgets is making a positive difference.”

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