Model Commissioning Strategy

A Model Commissioning Strategy has been produced by Fiona Richardson at the Institute of Public Care. This is reproduced below with the permission of the author. Actual examples of Commissioning Strategies can be found in Sources. If you would like a more detailed account of how to develop these strategies, please look at the Action Plan on Commissioning taken from the Audit Commission guide on Commissioning, Take Your Choice.

 

1.

Introduction

(i)

Purpose of the strategy

(ii)

Brief picture of the service area under consideration and context

(iii)

National and local priorities and targets

(iv)

Definition of commissioning and shared values

2.

Resume of Needs Assessment

(i)

Demographic trends in the area

(ii)

Socio-economic data

(iii)

Heath statistics

(iv)

Housing information

(v)

Consultation with users and carers and other stakeholders

(vi)

Aggregated information from care plans

(vi)

Overall assessment of needs

(vii)

Determining implication of needs data

3.

Current Services

(i)

Map of current service provision

(ii)

Main providers

(iii)

Referral and assessment mechanisms

(iv)

Take-up of services

(v)

Occupation/vacancy levels

4.

Local Care Market

(i)

Structure of the market for example residential homes by size, range of services provided, mix of local authority, voluntary and private provision

(ii)

Staffing issues

(iii)

Land prices

(iv)

National and local political factors affecting market

(v)

Conclusions about health of local market

5.

Cost of Services

(i)

National picture, for example Joseph Rowntree Foundation and central Government data

(ii)

Survey of local costs and charges

(iii)

Existing local authority rates and other contract rates

(iv)

Cost comparisons with other neighbouring authorities

6.

Contracting Arrangements

(i)

Existing contract/service level agreement arrangements

(ii)

Contracting options and advantages/disadvantages

7.

Changing the Focus of Services

(i)

Option appraisal

(ii)

Priorities in maintaining supply

(iii)

Shifts in provision required

(iv)

Opportunities to change and reshape existing provision

(v)

Potential for developing new services

(vi)

Decommissioning options for each commissioning round

8.

Monitoring Arrangements

(i)

Existing systems for the collection of data and their effectiveness and efficiency

(ii)

Assessment of effectiveness and quality of existing services including outputs and outcomes

9.

The Way Forward

Summary of agreed approach over the next three to five years including:-

(i)

Service changes - investment and disinvestment

(ii)

Outline of future market management approach

(iii)

Purchasing Intentions

(iv)

Contracting arrangements to meet different service needs and priorities

(v)

Monitoring systems and information requirements


For additional guidance provided by the Institute of Public Care Oxford Brookes University click here