The Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 12 December 2008
Feed for Podcast
Standard Podcasts [ 6:01m]
Friday, December 12, 2008
Practice-based commissioning: reinvigorate, replace or abandon?
Practice-based commissioning (PBC) is one of the cornerstones of health policy reform, but has it delivered its intended benefits? Its objectives were to encourage clinical engagement in service redesign and development, improve services for patients and make better use of resources. Through in-depth interviews with GPs, hospital and primary care trust staff in four sites, this Kings Fund report assesses the progress of PBC and identifies the barriers that are limiting success. Using the evidence from the four case studies and from previous research, it suggests ways forward for policy-makers.
(Published November 2008, 80 pages)
Commissioning weight management services for children and young people
This guide has been developed to support local areas in commissioning weight management services for children and young people. It is designed to reflect the move towards world class commissioning and joint commissioning of children’s services, and complement the existing suite of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives publications.
It will also support commissioners towards achieving the world class commissioning competencies.
(Published November 2008, 114 pages)
Practice based commissioning GP practice survey
This is the fifth quarterly practice survey, covering a sample of practices from each primary care trust (PCT), conducted between September and November 2008. The aims of the survey are to get feedback from practices on their perception of the support offered by their PCT and on the clinical and financial engagement of practices with PBC. The survey is part of a group of indicators that will be assessed together to give a picture of PBC implementation.
(Published December 2008)
Commissioning IAPT for the whole community: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies
This document is intended to assist commissioners (including practice-based commissioners), to deliver Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services that are effective and appropriate for the whole community, using innovative ways of meeting the needs of local people. It is drawn from the work of the IAPT special interest groups (SIGs).
(Published November 2008, 57 pages)
The role of the Primary Care Trust board in world class commissioning
This DH document forms part of the wider WCC board development programme. It provides an update on the role and purpose of the PCT board in the context of world class commissioning.
This document aims to provide consolidated guidance on:
- the role and functions of the PCT;
- the role of the PCT board;
- the composition of the PCT board;
- the competencies and characteristics of a high-performing PCT board; and
- key sources of further guidance.
Targeted Mental Health in Schools Project
This guide supports the strategic integration of all agencies involved in the delivery of child and adolescent mental health services (including schools) so that they can work together to deliver flexible, responsive and effective early intervention mental health services. It is for everyone involved in deciding which services to deliver in their Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) pathfinder project, including headteachers, commissioners in the local authority and primary care trust (PCT) and TaMHS project managers.
(Published November 2008, 104 pages)
Commissioning and Behaviour Change
Unhealthy behaviours – smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet, lack of exercise – lead to ill health, with resulting costs to individuals, to the NHS and to society as a whole. PCTs are expected to commission support to help people change their behaviour to adopt more health lifestyles – but what should that support be? The Kicking Bad Habits programme was launched to identify effective interventions. Drawing on a series of working papers and seminars, this report assesses existing and innovative methods the health service can use to persuade people to adopt more healthy lifestyles, including providing information, personal support and financial and other incentives.
(Published December 2008, 52 Pages)
PBC Development Framework
The Department of Health has established a PBC Development Framework, which SHAs, PCTs and practice-based commissioners (PBCs) can now use to appoint appropriately skilled organisations to provide a range of PBC capability development support.
(December 2008)
Other documents and conferences
Effective Care - Effective Communication: Living and Dying with COPD
National Audit Office Report on End of Life care: patients should die at home, not in homes
Transfer of Learning Disability SC Funding and Commissioning from the NHS to Local Government
Children and young people in mind: the final report of the National CAMHS Review
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
World Class Commissioning and Audit Commission Auditors’ Local Evaluation (Use of Resources from 08/09)
This letter from Mark Britnel, Director General of Commissioning & System Management, and Andy McKeon, Managing Director of Health, Audit Commission, outlines how the Audit Commission Auditors’ Local Evaluation (Use of Resources from 08/09) will provide a basis to help PCTs develop under the World Class Commissioning assurance system.
(Published November 2008, 2 pages)
Three new NICE Commissioning Guides
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published three new commissioning guides to help the NHS in England effectively commission evidence-based care for patients. The guides cover services for:
- Accurate diagnosis of the epilepsies in adults
- Antenatal and postnatal mental health
- Peer support for women who breastfeed
- Obits media with effusion
- Patient education for people with type 2 diabetes
- Smoking cessation for people having elective surgery
- Diagnosis and initial management of stroke
- Diagnosis and initial management of transient ischaemic attack
Tutorial for using commissioning tool.
Mental Health Act Briefing: Children & Young People
As of November 3 2008, PCT and children’s trust commissioners will need to be aware that they have a new legal duty under sections 39 and 140 of the Mental Health Act 2007 to inform the courts and local authorities where beds and facilities for under 18 year olds have been (or could be) commissioned. Children under the age of 16 should not be placed on adult wards at all by December 1.
Taking the long term view: the Department of Health’s strategy for delivering sustainable development 2008-2011
It is vital that the Department of Health commits to the issue of sustainable development for the long-term. The case for doing so is clear; we must ensure that by delivering better care and well-being for present generations, we are also ensuring that we are contributing to a strong and healthy society for generations of the future.
(Published October 2008, 57 pages)
NHS must rise to technology challenge
The NHS is failing to make it more convenient for the public to receive the care they need, by not making use of everyday technology and innovation that consumers would welcome, say two new reports by The King's Fund.
(Published October 2008)
Commissioning IAPT for the whole community: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies
This document is intended to assist commissioners (including practice-based commissioners), to deliver Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services that are effective and appropriate for the whole community, using innovative ways of meeting the needs of local people. It is drawn from the work of the IAPT special interest groups (SIGs).
(Published November 2008)
Improving outcomes in cardiovascular disease; a guide for practice-based commissioners
This timely guidance reviews the evidence base for promoting prevention and optimising treatment in CVD. It then outlines how PBC groups can use savings to fund a more systematic approach to the management of CVD in primary care.
(Published September 2008, 20 pages)
Self-referral pilots to musculoskeletal physiotherapy and the implications for improving access to other AHP services
Report of work to explore the impact of opening up access to musculoskeletal physiotherapy through self-referral where it had not previously been part of usual service provision. The report also considers the implications for access to other allied health professions services. Findings highlight benefits to patients and services.
(Published October 2008, 32 pages)
Integrated care pilot programme - prospectus for potential pilots
The Primary and Community Care Strategy announced that the Department would pilot new clinically-led models of integrated care. This prospectus invites innovative applications from clinicians, care professionals and managers. It sets out the scope of the programme and the process for selection.
(Published October 2008)
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Friday, October 10, 2008
How to Achieve World Class Commissioning Competencies
As part of the World Class Commissioning Programme, PCTs will be undertaking the first round of the Assurance System in autumn 2008. They will be assessed against the 11 competencies for World Class Commissioning. The purpose of this guide is to offer 'tips' to help PCTs progress to achieving the competencies.
Published October 2008, 53 pages
Improving outcomes in children and young people with cancer
Letter containing the document Key messages for commissioners of cancer services for teenagers and young adults, developed by the National Cancer Action Team (with advice and support from an expert working group) at the request of the Children and Young People Improving Outcomes Guidance (CYPIOG) Advisory Group to support the implementation of National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance, Improving outcomes for children and young people with cancer.
Published September 2008, 13 pages
Commissioning Specialist Library
The pilot Commissioning Specialist Library went live on 15 September 2008. The library is free, and aims to be a one-stop shop providing timely and efficient access to high quality information resources for all those involved in commissioning for health and wellbeing. It endeavours to include the best available evidence, examples of good practice, policy and data to support world class commissioning.
Commissioning cycle
The Information Centre have produced an interactive information map for every stage of the commissioning cycle.
Commissioning Safe and Sustainable Specialised Paediatric Services
This report provides a unique approach to the commissioning of specialised paediatric services. The results will be of particular interest to those involved in commissioning or delivering specialised paediatric services, but it has broader implications. It provides for the first time a clinically agreed system for representing the nature of the relationships between specialised services. It sets out which services need to be delivered from the same location and which do not. This will be of real significance to anyone assessing the configuration of paediatric services and indeed any services that relate to them - both wider children’s services and services to adults.
Published September 2008, 36 pages
Review of urgent and emergency care services
The review looked at urgent and emergency care from the point that the need for care is identified up to the point that this need is resolved, for example, through treatment, reassurance, or admission to hospital. It also looked at what measures were in place for follow-up care once the need for urgent care had been met (for example, arranging for a falls assessment for an older person who has fallen at home).
Published September 2008
Payment by Results for Kidney Dialysis Project Group
This interim report has been produced by the renal PbR project group which has been working on the development of tariffs for renal dialysis. Guidance has been developed to inform the 2008/09 reference cost exercise and the aim is to develop a mandatory tariff for dialysis for 2010/11.
Published September 2008, 22 pages
NHS spending
Primary care trusts (PCTs) spend around 75 per cent of the NHS budget in England. How do they decide on their spending priorities?
Published September 2008, 8 pages
NTA launches new guidance for Tier 4 commissioning
The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) has published guidance to help local commissioners and service providers plan for and purchase effective drug treatment services in the Tier 4 – residential treatment – sector.
Published September 2008, 35 pages
Transforming services for children with hearing difficulty and their families: a good practice guide
Further to the publication of ‘Improving Access to Audiology Services in England’ in March 2007, this document provides good practice and evidence to help commissioners and service providers to make changes to the way that paediatric hearing services are delivered, and in particular to reduce waits for patients with the most common hearing difficulties.
Published September 2008, 47 pages
Other documents and conferences
World Class Commissioning Programme - August update
Local 18 Week patient experience surveys Health and Care Services for Older People: Overview report on research to support the National Service Framework for Older People
Seven Ways to No Delays
Making a bigger difference; A guide for NHS front-line staff and leaders on assessing and stimulating service innovation
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Widespread variations remain in local NHS spending - new analysis from The King's Fund
Widespread variations in how much the NHS spends locally on different diseases – even after the different needs of local communities are taken into account – are revealed today in a new report from The King’s Fund. NHS spending: local variations in priorities: an update analyses Department of Health data covering the financial years 2004/5, 2005/6 and 2006/7. The report provides an update to a previous report from The King’s Fund in 2006, which for the first time analysed the varying amounts primary care trusts (PCTs) in England spend on diseases such as cancer, mental health and circulatory diseases (such as heart disease).
(Published August 2008, 8 pages)
Transfer commissioning of social care for adults with a learning disability from the NHS to local government
This letter and annex set out the existing policy and legal framework for the transfer of learning disability social care funding and commissioning from the NHS to local authorities with effect from 1 April 2009. The annex provides guidance on what is covered, what PCTs and LAs need to do and the timescale for the transfer. The proposed transfer was set out in Valuing People Now.
(Published August 2008, 15 pages)
How SUS supports Commissioners
World-class commissioning in the NHS means that the provision of high-quality, up-to-date information has never been more important. Information on the use of healthcare resources is critical to the success of Practice Based Commissioning. The NHS Comparators service enables general practices to analyse variations in the use of services across practice populations and to identify areas that may benefit from the redesign of services. SUS will support by By undertaking standard processing such as the correct grouping of activity and application of national tariffs once, SUS provides the opportunity to minimise the transaction costs associated with the comprehensive implementation of Payment by Results. SUS will manage new data flows to enable the analysis necessary to support the achievement of the Government's target of a maximum waiting time from referral to treatment of 18 weeks.
Service for the accurate diagnosis of the epilepsies in adults
This commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning, and is a resource to help health professionals in England to commission an effective service for the accurate diagnosis of the epilepsies in adults.
Managing Urgent Mental Health Needs in the Acute Trust: A guide by practitioners, for managers
This report was prepared by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, working in partnership with representatives from the Royal College of Physicians of London, the Royal College of Nursing and the College of Emergency Medicine. The current provision of mental health services to people attending the Emergency Department of General hospitals or those admitted to medical and surgical wards are extremely variable across the country. There is an urgent need to develop national standards that inform the commissioning of services, thereby guaranteeing that people in need receive prompt assessment and management by appropriately trained professionals.
(Published August 2008, 24 pages)
BMA: Polyclinics
The BMA is concerned that many polyclinics are being imposed across the country, regardless of local need. This could lead to some local GP surgeries having to reduce the services they offer, or being closed if funding is diverted towards new polyclinics. Patients are also likely to have to travel further in order to see their GP.
Interim report of the Expert Group on Commissioning NHS Infertility Provision
An Expert Group on Commissioning NHS Infertility Provision was established by the Department at the beginning of 2008, with the aim of identifying the barriers to the implementation of the NICE fertility guideline and helping PCTs move towards the implementation of the guideline. The group is due to report in 2009, and has issued an interim report with recommendations, including that consideration be given to a clear clinical pathway and a national tariff for regulated fertility services
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Friday, August 8, 2008
Delivering care closer to home: meeting the challenge
The document is a resource for commissioners and others interested in shifting care closer to home. It aims to share local emerging practice, how national enablers can support shifting care, and highlights new products developed to support local commissioners and providers.
Published July 2008, 57 pages
Providing Care for Patients with Urological Conditions: Guidance and Resources for Commissioners
Developed by the Care Closer to Home Urology sub-group, this resource aims to provide guidance and information for commissioners to consider and use when commissioning services for people with urological conditions, in the community. It is also intended to provide information for clinicians and others who are exploring providing urology services in the community.
Published July 2008, 30 pages
Strategy development and implementation: A literature review - ways of thinking about strategy for Primary Care Trust top teams to deliver world class
Although all of the world class competencies have a strategic dimension, two are perhaps most directly focused on strategy: Competency 1: ‘Are recognised as the local leader of the NHS’ and Competency 6: ‘Prioritise investment according to local needs, service requirements and the values of the NHS’. This review of the published literature on strategy is intended to provide an overview of the main approaches to developing strategy, how these can be applied in practice, and how the resulting strategy can be best implemented.
Published July 2008
National survey of local health services 2008
This is the fifth survey of peoples’ experiences of local health services to be carried out since 2003. More than 69,000 people took part in the 2008 survey, which is a response rate of 40%. The results of the survey offer a valuable insight into peoples’ experiences of local health services, such as GP practices and health centres and accessing dentistry. The results should be used by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to improve the services that they provide to their local population.
Commissioning a Community COPD Service: Lessons for the NHS Based on a case study in Somerset PCT
This case study is written for clinicians, service managers and commissioners to illustrate the complexities in commissioning and procuring a new service for people with long term conditions if existing services do not address patients’ needs. It is accompanied by a set of suggested “dos and don’ts” on the last page.
Published June, 2008, 13 pages
Practice based commissioning: case studies
These case studies, from the Department for Health, contain examples of areas in which practice based commissioning is already happening. Practices have been able to receive an indicative budget since April 2005. In some areas, forms of practice based commissioning precede this date.
The future of commissioning
This supplement contains five articles on various aspects of commissioning. The topics covered are: patient and public engagement; quality assurance; practice based commissioning and joint working.
Health Service Journal 2008; 118 (6110): 1-9
Ask your local health librarian to locate journal articles. Don't know who they are in the UK pop your postcode into HLISD and locate them today!
Delivery for Commissioners User Guide
A guide designed to help you when you are tasked with the responsibility for leading a project team from project start-up through to successful project delivery. Project Delivery for Commissioners User Guide provides detailed end-to-end guidance for working through the process of setting up and delivering a service change project, as well as for using the extensive range of supporting tools and techniques available from the NHS Institute website. It also provides detail on who should be involved at various points in the process, explains the activities that will need to take place and highlights examples from the health communities who helped design the approach.
Published July 2008
PCTs can now choose to adopt the NHS prefix before their place name
The Secretary of State's speech to the NHS Confederation conference on 18 June 2008 and the Next Stage Review report published on 30 June 2008, signaled that PCTs have the freedom to re-name to NHS Local. This means that they can choose to adopt the NHS prefix before their place name, so for example, Blackpool PCT would become known as NHS Blackpool. This will allow PCTs to position themselves as the local leader of the NHS and front-line commissioners of patient care. It is integral to the objectives of World Class Commissioning and in particular, competency 1, that PCTs should be recognised as the local leader of the NHS.
Providing Care for Patients with Skin Conditions: Guidance and Resources for Commissioning
This new resource published by NHS PCC and developed by the Dermatology Care Closer to Home Group is for commissioners to consider and use when commissioning services for people with skin conditions in the local health community.
Published July 2008, 34 pages
Other documents and conferences
Innovation workshops available to support world class commissioning
To register your interest in attending a workshop, please contact: gina.shakespeare@dh.gsi.gov.uk.
Development of new NHS contracts.
National Cancer Intelligence Network: Cancer e-Atlas
Will practice-based commissioning in the English NHS resolve the problems experienced by GP fundholding? Public Money and Management 2008; 28 (4): 231-238.
The role of specialist physicians in the commissioning of clinical services Clinical Medicine 2008; 8 (3): 248-249.
Ask your local health librarian to locate journal articles, don't know who they are in the UK pop your postcode into HLISD.
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 7 July 2008
Listen to the Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 7Feed for Podcast Standard Podcasts [8:13m]
RSS Feed
Commissioning to make a bigger difference – A guide for NHS and social care commissioners on promoting service innovation
How do we know that what we plan to do will lead to a service innovation or … make a bigger difference? These guides illustrate methods and tools to help NHS teams answer this question. Using methods and tools that support a specific 5-step process framework, with a special focus on world-class commissioning, and a ‘Culture for Innovation’ section describing seven factors that organisational studies show are linked to innovative output.
(Published June 2008)
Next steps in NHS reform, report of an expert working group
The pace of change and reform in the NHS has been relentless as government and those who work in the NHS seek ways to improve the service. The King’s Fund set up an expert working group to examine how effective the current incentives were in achieving this aim. The group focused on the role of PCTs as commissioners and on practice-based commissioning but discussed other issues, including patient choice. This paper includes specific proposals for government, the Department of Health, strategic health authorities and primary care trusts. These conclusions should feed into Lord Darzi’s review and help to clarify the next steps for the NHS.
(Published June 2008, 40 pages)
World class commissioning assurance system
The delivery of the world class commissioning vision and competencies will take place within a commissioning assurance system. There will be one national system of commissioning assurance, locally managed by strategic health authorities (SHAs). There will be flexibility to set local priorities. Commissioning assurance will be designed to help primary care trusts (PCTs) identify areas of development and move towards filling gaps in their capabilities.
NHS Next Stage Review: Our vision for primary and community care
The Department for Health’s vision is for primary and community care to provide high quality, personal care and support, treating people when they're sick and helping them stay healthy, where and when they need it most.
Primary and community care services are regarded with pride at home and admiration abroad. Thanks to the dedication of family doctors, community nurses, health visitors, allied health professionals, social care professionals, pharmacists, dentists and opticians, most patients enjoy good quality care, close to home. There are high levels of satisfaction with services and trust in the staff who provide them.
We need to ensure that high-quality care is a consistent part of everyone's experience of primary and community care. Services need to evolve to reflect changes in healthcare and society. This document sets out a vision for how services will continue to grow and develop over the next ten years. It is a vision of a continuously improving service, where essential standards are guaranteed and excellence is rewarded.
(Published 2008)
Shifting the Balance of Care to Local Settings
Government health policy has been encouraging a shift in the balance of care from hospital to community settings. The Department of Health commissioned The King's Fund, in partnership with Loop2, to undertake a simulation-based project entitled SeeSaw to understand how this shift in care could be achieved. This report outlines the simulation process and describes the event itself. The majority of the report, however, focuses on the learning that emerged during the event and in all the subsequent discussions on the implications for policy-makers, managers and professionals working in the NHS, in social care, and in the independent sector.
(Published June 2008, 72 pages)
The future of commissioning
This supplement contains five articles on various aspects of commissioning. The topics covered are: patient and public engagement; quality assurance; practice based commissioning and joint working.
Health Service Journal 2008; 118 (6110): 1-9 (12 June 2008 Suppl.)
Ask your local health librarian to get hold of this supplement
Financial risk in health purchasing: risk pools
The point of minimum financial risk is reached by placing between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of the inpatient budget into the risk pool. Allocating only five per cent of the budget to a risk pool requires a population base equivalent to the whole of England to achieve a one per cent tolerance on the risk pool. Moving 35 per cent of the practice based commissioning [PBC] inpatient budget into a primary care trust [PCT] held budget leads to between three per cent and eight per cent risk associated with the PCT retained budget for the largest and smallest PCTs in England respectively, i.e. only risk pools consisting of groups of PCTs are sufficiently large to mitigate financial risk.
British Journal of Health Care Management 2008; 14 (6): 240-245
Ask your local health librarian to get hold of this article
Financial risk in practice based commissioning
The financial risk associated with healthcare budgets is high. To operate within a financial tolerance of less than three per cent a PBC [practice based commissioning] group will need a population of greater than 50,000 (budget £15 million). The point of minimum financial risk is reached by placing all admissions costing more than £3,000 into a larger risk pool. A core of 47 HRGs [health resource groups] accounting for 30 per cent of the budget, are the only HRGs with sufficient volume for a PBC group to discern whether a statistically significant reduction in costs has been made.
British Journal of Health Care Management 2008; 14 (5): 199-204
Ask your local health librarian to get hold of this article
A practical guide to commissioning children’s palliative care education and training: consultation document
The purpose of this document is to support commissioners in their work with local service providers and education providers as they develop workforce plans to ensure the development of children’s palliative care services. In commissioning for quality and choice, there are likely to be a diverse range of potential services and a mix of approaches to provide palliative care services for children and their families. This document aims to provide a framework in accordance with the Children's Workforce Development Strategy to ensure a workforce to provide children's palliative care that:
- Is competent and confident;
- People aspire to be part of and want to remain working for
- Develop skills and builds satisfying and rewarding careers; and is recognised and transferable in all locations they work
- Children, young people, parents and carers trust and respect.
RSS Feed
Also available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 6 June 2008
Listen to the Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 6Feed for Podcast Standard Podcasts [7:28m]
RSS Feed
Commissioning assurance handbook
The world class commissioning programme is designed to raise ambitions for a new form of commissioning that has not yet been developed or implemented in a comprehensive way anywhere in the world.
The assurance system for world class commissioning (“commissioning assurance”) is linked to the vision and competencies published in December 2007 and to resources for support and development available both nationally and locally. Together these provide a coherent programme aimed at supporting commissioners in delivering their health agenda.
This handbook provides a detailed explanation of the content of commissioning assurance, with a practical guide on how to follow the process.
(Published June 2008, 90 pages)
Opportunities available now to support Trust Board development for world class commissioning
The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement commissions a number of programmes and activities that support Board development for world class commissioning. In addition to the opportunities listed on their site, other programmes are in development and will be launched in the coming months.
Our NHS Our Future: Leading Local Change
Lord Darzi was asked by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health to lead the NHS Next Stage Review in July 2007. His interim report in October set out a vision for a world class NHS that is fair, personal, effective and safe.
The Review has been led locally by clinicians in each NHS region. Seventy-four local clinical working groups, made up of some 2000 clinicians, have been looking at the clinical evidence and engaging with their local communities. They have developed improved models of care for their regions to ensure that the NHS is up to date with the latest clinical developments and is able to meet changing needs and expectations.
‘Leading Local Change’ sets the context for these local visions and the principles which will guide their implementation.
Published May 2008, 19 pages
Primary Care Trust Procurement Guide for Health Services
The PCT Procurement Guide for Health Services supports NHS commissioners in deciding whether and how to procure health services through formal tendering and market-testing exercises. The Guide sets out the policy and regulatory context for procurement, and issues to consider when developing a procurement strategy. The Guide should be read in conjunction with the ‘Principles and rules for Cooperation and Competition’, published as Annex D of the 2008/9 Operating Framework, and the ‘Framework for Managing Choice, Cooperation and Competition’
Published May 2008, 24 pages
Framework for Managing Choice, Cooperation and Competition
This Framework supports SHAs and PCTs in understanding the roles, responsibilities, values and behaviours required for the effective management of choice and competition within the NHS. The Framework is the outcome of a series of workshops and seminars with senior SHA and PCT leaders. The Framework should be read in conjunction with the Principles and rules for Cooperation and Competition (Annex D of the 2008/9 Operating Framework) and the ‘Primary Care Trust Procurement Guide’ (published 16 May 2008). Additionally, the Framework signals a further series of tools and guidance for system managers to be released throughout the year.
Published May 2009, 7 page
DH Social Enterprise Fund open for business
Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis has announced the opening of the second round of the Department of Health (DH) Social Enterprise Investment Fund. He also announced that this year, it would include a new element, the 'Innovation for Life Challenge Fund', developed in collaboration with the Social Enterprise Coalition. The Innovation for Life Challenge Fund will encourage Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and their partners to find collaborative solutions to health and social care needs through social enterprise.
On top of the world
Two healthcare management experts lock horns over whether the drive to raise the standard of commissioning really can transform the quality of care.
Health Service Journal 2008; 118 (7006): 22-24
Ask your local Health Librarian to get hold of this article for you. Don't know where they are, find them with your postcod ate HLISD.
Towards World Class Commissioning - Best Practice Advice and Examples
With the World Class Commissioning agenda gathering momentum, many Trusts are making significant progress translating the vision into reality. Learning from best practice examples across the country is key if Trusts are to move towards World Class status.
This is an opportunity to catch up with HealthExecTV's World Class Commissioning programme designed to assist Trusts in their transition.
Keynote interviews from policy leaders provide advice on how to step up the current approach. In addition, best practice case studies showcase achievements from Trusts leading the way in delivering their world class commissioning strategies.
Simply click the links below to view the programme elements:
Gearing Up for World Class Commissioning - Interview with Gary Belfield, Director of Commissioning, DoH
World Class Commissioning - NHS Confed Support - Interview with David Stout, Director PCT Network
Evidence-Based Planning for World Class Commissioning Transition
West Kent PCT Makes Strides in Delivering World Class Commissioning Vision in Sexual Health and Dentistry
GPs Lead the Way in Practice-based Commissioning Transformation at Warrington
Under One Roof: Will polyclincs deliver integrated care?
Government policy is driving a fundamental shift of care from hospitals to more community-based settings. There is a growing expectation that this shift will be supported by the development of a network of new facilities in which primary, community and secondary care services are co-located, often referred to as polyclinics. Will this model improve the quality and accessibility of health care and deliver cost savings? Drawing on published information and original research into facilities similar to the polyclinic model in the United Kingdom and abroad, this report identifies and explores both opportunities and risks in relation to: quality of care, accessibility of services and cost.
Published June 2008, 67 pages
RSS Feed
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Friday, May 9, 2008
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Commissioning Toolkit
The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme has one principal aim - to help PCTs implement NICE Guidelines for people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. The Government is committed to improving access to psychological therapies and announced additional funding to increase services over the next three years. This Commissioning Toolkit is designed to help PCTs improve or establish stepped care psychological therapies following NICE guidelines. The toolkit is structured around the commissioning cycle and is specifically linked to the World Class Commissioning competencies. It brings together a wide range of existing tools and guides and includes positive practice examples throughout.
(Published April 2008, 48 pages)
CSIP Better Commissioning programme
CSIP's Commissioning Programme has 3 key strands of activity; The National Programme headed by Janet Crampton, The Better Commissioning Learning Improvement Network and Regional Commissioning Programmes.
They work with commissioners across health and care to develop commissioning transformational process to meet the new demands of the health and care system. They do this by; providing learning opportunities for commissioners at regional and national level to develop skills and capabilities; developing tools and resources to support policy implementation and best practice in commissioning; working across a number of government departments and in partnership with other agencies to ensure collaborative approaches to implementation.
CSIP have nine regional programmes
New NICE Commissioning guides: Cognitive behavioural therapy and Faecal continence service
This Faecal continence service commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning, and is a resource to help health professionals in England to commission an effective faecal continence service for the management of faecal incontinence (FI) in adults.
This CBT commissioning guide provides support for the local implementation of NICE clinical guidelines through commissioning, and is a resource to help health professionals in England to commission appropriate levels of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety in primary care.
West Kent PCT: World Class Commissioning strategy and delivering a commissioning model
West Kent PCT is making strides in its World Class Commissioning strategy and delivering a commissioning model with partner Avail Consulting that is improving value for money, driving up clinical standards and reducing inequalities in the local population.
Initially applied to sexual health and dentistry services, the PCT is already seeing 100% improvement in the delivery of GUM services, increased investment in prevention through screening programmes and a transformation in their relationships with providers.
To find out how they did it, click to the video:
http://www.healthexec.tv/cgi-bin/details.pl?action=pre&id=413
National Cancer Intelligence Network
In line with the commitments in the Cancer Reform Strategy, the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) will be launched in June 2008.
The NCIN will coordinate the collection, analysis and publication of comparative national information on diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for types of cancers and types of patient, in a way which is useful to patients, commissioners and service providers and other interested parties. As part of the NCRI, partners will help fund research on the data collated by the NCIN, facilitating a more informed analysis of cancer services than has ever been possible before.
Commissioning Specialist Library: Have you say
The National Library for Health are inviting you to assist them in the development of a Commissioning Specialist Library (CSL). The CSL will be an online resource providing timely and efficient access to high quality information resources to those involved in commissioning for health and wellbeing.
A resource to help primary care pharmacists in England involved in PBC
What does practice-based commissioning mean for primary care pharmacists? Heidi Wright, Head of Practice at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, outlines the benefits of becoming involved and points to the various resources available.
Revised guidance: primary care dental contracts Advice on managing end of year issues
Guidance provided in January 2007 (Gateway reference 7719) has been updated to reflect comments from the NHS and to clarify expectations for the end of the financial year. The guidance is now generic and does not relate to any one year in particular.
(Published April 2008, 13 pages)
Other documents, websites and conferences
North West Specialised Commissioning Team (NHS Net Link)
Dying patients given greater choice to die at home at no extra cost to the NHS, King’s Fund report concludes
Integrated Drug Treatment System for Prisons (IDTS): allocations for 2008/09
Putting prevention first - vascular checks: risk assessment and management
RSS Feed
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you...
Listen to the Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 5Feed for Podcast Standard Podcasts [6:19m]
Powered by Podbean.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
Updated Child Health Promotion Programme
The new updated Child Health Promotion Programme (CHPP): 'Pregnancy and the first five years of life' has been launched. It builds on the NSF that was published in 2004 and is intended to provide services tailored to the individual needs of children and families, acting as a best practice guide for health and social services.
The CHPP is a valuable tool for supporting Commissioners to meet obligations on breastfeeding, obesity prevention, infant mortality and the 12-week antenatal assessment. This high quality programme will help meet these vital requirements, but also help to improve general health and well-being among children and families in our communities.
(Published March 2008, 80 pages)
Towards World Class Commissioning Competency
Towards World Class Commissioning Competency is a report produced for West Midlands Strategic Health Authority by the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham.
This paper is intended to assist the thinking of those currently seeking answers to questions, such as: What are health care commissioners required to do? What knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours are required to do it well? Who (either within or beyond the NHS) is most likely to possess these attributes at the moment? How should these capabilities be developed and distributed in future?
The paper concludes that a one-size-fits-all approach to defining and developing commissioning competency is unlikely to be optimal, and reiterates that competency depends not just on knowledge and skills, but on values, motivation, and agency. This is an important message for those involved in commissioning at all levels of the system.
(Published December 2007, 24 pages)
Education Commissioning Briefing
The briefing paper contains information on subjects such as:
- Data – what kind of information and intelligence to use that can help inform your education commissioning decisions (for example health needs assessments and demographics)
- Funding – how education is paid for and what sources of funding there are
- Process – the formal, staged process of commissioning (rather than simply purchasing) education.
National Dementia Strategy
The objectives of the project are to develop a national dementia strategy and implementation plan for publication in October 2008. The strategy will address three key themes – raising awareness, early diagnosis and intervention and improving the quality of care.
More strategic, timely information needed in primary healthcare
One year after the publication of The Intelligent Practice, a recent survey carried out by Dr Foster Intelligence found that current primary care information provision is lacking in strategic vision.
Information provided by PCTs seems to be drawing mixed reviews. Asked to evaluate the overall quality, format and frequency, nearly half of respondents said that what they were receiving from their PCT was sufficient, although more than a quarter found the information insufficient.
Putting you in the picture
Putting you in the picture is the first edition of the North West Specialised Commissioning Team’s newsletter.
Intended primarily for colleagues in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), this first edition outlines some of the team’s key achievements since their formation in April 2007.
Many of the projects they were involved in are ongoing, and they will update you on progress in future newsletters.
(Published February 2008, 8 pages)
Choice at referral
Best practice guidance and information for referrers, providers and commissioners on how the roll-out of free choice in elective care in 2008/9 will operate.
(March 2008)
Refocusing the care programme approach: Policy and positive practice guidance
Following the national consultation, Reviewing the Care programme Approach (CPA), and having considered the issues identified, this guidance updates policy and sets out positive practice guidance for trusts and commissioners to review local practice to refocus CPA within mental health services.
(Published March 2008, 64 pages)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
