What does a good integrated personal budget for people with mental health problems look like? [21]

The person with the integrated personal budget should:

• be able to choose the recovery outcomes they want to achieve, in agreement with a health care professional
• know how much money they have for their health, care and support
• be enabled to create a single care plan across health and social care, with support if they want it
• be able to choose how their budget is held and managed, and have the right to ask for a direct payment
• be able to spend the money in ways and at times that make sense to them, as agreed in their plan.

Integrated personal budgets can be managed in three ways, or a combination of them:

• Notional budget: the money is held by the local authority or NHS body.
• Third party budget: the money is paid to an organisation that holds the money on the person’s behalf.
• Direct payment: the money is paid to the person or their representative.

What are the stages of the integrated personal budgets process?

• Making contact and getting clear information.
• Understanding the person’s health, care and wellbeing needs.
• Working out the amount of money available.
• Making a care plan.
• Organising care and support.
• Monitoring and review.