Paying your patient

This is a reminder that the deadline for responses to the Department of Health's consultation paper entitled 'Direct Payments For Health Care - A Consultation on Proposals for Regulations and Guidance' is 8 January 2010.

This consultation paper seeks views on the Department of Health's proposals for piloting direct payments for health care.

Direct payments would allow patients more control over their own health care, and are part of the wider pilot programme to explore personal health budgets announced in 'High Quality Care For All'. The proposals mirror the current system of direct payments for social care, and are described as another way of 'personalising the NHS'.

Read Wragge & Co's analysis for a summary of the proposed direct payments scheme.