Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Tuesday 19th June 2018 Commons Chamber

The House observed a minute’s silence.

[Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

8. What steps he is taking to encourage the adoption of personal health and care budgets.

[Andrew Lewer (Northampton South) (Con)]

18. What steps he is taking to encourage the adoption of personal health and care budgets.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

I know that the thoughts of the whole House are with the families affected by the terrible atrocity a year ago.

Personal health budgets have a transformative effect on people with very complex health needs, and we plan for 50,000 to 100,000 more people to benefit from them by 2021.

[Sir Henry Bellingham]

I thank the Secretary of State for that reply. Does he agree that a key part of integrating health and social care is giving individuals more say and flexibility in how they use their entitlements? Will he consider extending his pilots to my constituency of North West Norfolk?

[Mr Hunt]

Absolutely, and not just to North West Norfolk, but to the whole country. We are currently consulting on giving a right to personal health budgets to people with the most complex health needs. That would be about 350,000 people and would include anyone with a continuing NHS need combined with a mental health need, a learning disability, autism or PTSD. Obviously, it would be hugely significant if we were able to proceed with that.