Mental Health Network calls to postpone personal budgets

A report by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network questioned whether the government’s flagship policy to boost choice in the NHS would deliver improvements in care.

A poll of professionals found that “deeply engrained clinical, organisational and managerial cultures” would have to change in order to make mental health services more person-centred - fulfilling the aim of personal health budgets.

The report also revealed that the majority of service users were confused about what personal health budgets are, and most said they were unlikely to take up a budget.

The government has said it plans to introduce personal health budgets from October 2012 following pilots in 68 areas.

The Mental Health Network called for the roll out to postponed, with pilot schemes extended and an extensive programme of professional engagement scheduled.

“There is clearly some scepticism among service users about personal budgets being just one more policy solution that promises so much and delivers so little,” said Steve Shrubb, director of the Mental Health Network.

Mr Shrubb said service providers needed to show service users that they would be supported in using budgets and to convince clinicians that the system would work.