Managing a healthcare budget may not be for everyone

A recent survey by Demos suggested that personal budgets in health and social care were giving disabled and older people more choice than ever before over the services they use.

Demos is a think-tank focused on power and politics, which researches ideas to give people more power in shaping their own lives. Their vision is a democracy of free citizens, with an equal stake in society.

Demos said that within five years 1.5 million people could be managing their own budgets, meaning greater uncertainty for service providers and local authorities.

Andrew Harrop, Head of Public Policy for Age Concern and Help the Aged‚ said that although it was a good thing, not everyone would want to manage their own budget.

“For many older people‚ care is often organised in a short period of time‚ often following a hospital admission. An older person with new care needs won’t always know how they’re going to manage when they get home. Older people’s care needs often change more frequently than younger adults‚ so while some may welcome the opportunity to manage their own budgets‚ many others won’t.”

He went on to say that the Government would need to ensure that appropriate support was always available at the right time to help older people make informed decisions about their own care provision.”

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