NHS cash splurged on satnav, robot cleaner and summer house

A probe found new personal health budgets are being splurged on horse riding, art classes, massage and personal trainers for patients.

The government introduced the individual packages to give the long-term sick more choice and control over the support they get.

The cash can be spent on therapies to ease depression, help with personal care and new equipment.

But an investigation by Pulse magazine revealed taxpayers are being asked to pick up the tab for a bizarre shopping list of goodies.

The NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the NHS Corby CCG, which handle health money for Northamptonshire, spent £2.55 million between them on personal health budgets for just 161 patients.

Generous handouts included a family holiday so a patient could "re-establish relations" with their children and another holiday – with a dog.

Cash was also spent on a satnav, new clothes, an iRobot cleaner and the construction of a summer house – so one patient could have "their own space".

Further money was spent on hydrotherapy, Japanese massage, Indian head massages, art classes and kitchen equipment, including a food processor.

A spokesman said the money was used to "focus on improving an individual's health and wellbeing."

He added: "All personal health budgets are clinically agreed and monitored."

In Kernow in Cornwall £267,000 was spent on just five people – including £2,080 on aromatherapy, £248 on horse riding and just over £7 on hiring pedalos.

A spokesman said "We follow national guidance when agreeing personal health budgets".

The NHS Stoke on Trent CCG spent £114,000 between 115 patients – including money for a Wii Fit computer game and more than £1,000 on music lessons.

A spokesman said these were judged to help patients and "represent excellent value for the NHS".

In Horsham, Crawley and coastal West Sussex, £2.6 million was spent on care packages for 44 people – almost £60,000 per patient – the highest spend per patient of any of the CCGs.

Dr Richard Vautrey, of doctors' union the British Medical Association, said: "While individuals may themselves value a massage or summer house, others will understandably start to question why they can't also have such things paid for by the state - and that will just fuel demand."

A spokesman for NHS England said: "An independent evaluation has shown that personal health budgets are cost effective, help people manage their health and improve quality of life."