The Government has announced that from Monday 2 December, more people who use wheelchairs or need support for ongoing mental health problems will have the right to a personal health budget, providing them with greater choice and control when managing their own health and care. Personal health budgets are planned and agreed between individuals and clinicians.
Responding to the announcement, RCOT Chief Executive Julia Scott said:
"The Royal College supports expanding personalised health budgets as they allow the person needing support more control over how their needs are met . Personalised care is at the heart of what occupational therapists do. Every individual is different and occupational therapists tailor their approach to each person, helping them live the lives they want to.
"Occupational therapists have a unique role to play in embedding personalised care within Health and Care as demonstrated in our report Making personalised care a reality: The role of occupational therapy, released earlier in 2019. With occupational therapists working in both mental health and wheelchair services, this expansion of the right to have personalised budgets, will ensure they can truly advocate for people to be active participants, in their health and care."