A SCHEME to hand cash to the long term sick to pay for their own treatment will be closely monitored to avoid it being abused.

Earlier this week the NHS in Oxfordshire said it would road-test a scheme to give patients their own personal health care budgets.

It means people with conditions which need treatment over a long period of time would get money sent to a bank account, so they could decide on their own treatment.

The Government said last night it would give “more power to the patient”.

Trudy Reynolds, project manager for NHS Oxfordshire, said: “We want to help people get a better service from the NHS. For some people, it is not about the money it’s about being asked what they want and being helped to make the best choices.”

Ms Reynolds admitted the scheme could be open to abuse, but said the money would be closely monitored to make sure no one was taking advantage of the patients, or the scheme.

She added: “That is what the pilot is all about, to make sure the scheme is going to work. For example, everyone offering care will have to be registered through us.

“Most importantly, we hope that this effect – more open and honest discussions about what people want to change about their health and well-being – reaches to people who do not have personal health budgets as well as people who do.”

It will be available from September to 150 people in Oxfordshire who fall under the NHS continuing care scheme.

The amount patients will get is decided through an assesment by the primary care trust, but will be equivalent to the care they would normally receive.

For most patients this is about £600 a week, but can vary from as little as £50 to more than £1,000 a week.

It will be directed at patients with conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and carers for people with mental health conditions.

Patients would be offered a full briefing on how and where to spend the cash.

Paul Burstow, the Government’s Care Services Minister, said: “It means patients can decide for themselves how, where and from whom they receive their treatment.

“They may choose to go to the local NHS service, to a private provider, or they could employ their own personal assistant to provide them with care in their own home.”

Health bosses are also considering setting up a credit card payment service where patients get a ‘bank statement’ to show them what they have been spending.

'Flexible care would suit me'

TOM Nabarro, from Standlake, is one of the 150 people who have been selected to try out personal health care budgets.

Mr Nabarro, a former footballer with Summertown Stars and a pupil at The Cherwell School, Oxford, was an avid snowboarder with more than 12 years’ experience.

But a boarding accident three years ago left him paralysed. The 25-year-old currently receives round-the-clock care at a cost of £1,600 a week from two personal assistants. He said: “Having a personal care budget will make things much more flexible in terms of work. It would enable me to employ my own care assistants privately. “People in my situation need as much flexibility as we can get. “I am aware that it will probably take a while, but if it does happen, it will make a lot of people’s lives easier.” awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk