The York Research Database

In 2009, the Department of Health invited PCTs and local partners to take part in the personal health budget pilot. Overall, some 70 sites were chosen around the country. Twenty sites from all the pilots were selected to be in-depth evaluation sites, with the remainder being wider cohort sites. The Department of Health commissioned an independent evaluation to run alongside the pilot programme to provide information on how personal health budgets are best implemented, where and when they are most appropriate and what support is required for individuals.

An important aspect of the evaluation of personal health budgets involved exploring early experiences of implementation. Over the period April to June 2010, interviews were conducted with personal health budget project leads in the 20 in-depth sites. Factors that facilitate the introduction of PHBs and also the challenges of the process are contained in this interim report.