Darzi review: Up to 5000 patients with long term conditions will have their own personal budgets next year

Patients with long term conditions are to have their own personal health budgets under the government’s plans for the NHS in England.

An estimated 5000 patients with complex, long term conditions will next year pilot new personal budgets, an idea that has already been tried in social care.

The report published this week by the junior health minister Ara Darzi says it is part of the government’s intention that all 15 million people with long term conditions will have a personal care plan. The idea is to give these patients greater control over the services they receive and over the providers of those services.

The report says that personal health budgets are likely to work …