Means to an end

This report reviews the joint financing and integrated care arrangements between NHS bodies and councils with adult social care responsibilities. It builds on our previous publication, Clarifying joint financing arrangements, that explained the practical implications and legislative framework for joint financing.

It considers how these arrangements are used, focusing on learning disability, mental health and older people - areas where service users most often need health and social care.

The report's recommendations and examples of notable practice aim to help national and local bodies better understand the options available, how to use them and to achieve better outcomes for service users.

Published October 2009, 68 pages

Transfer of Learning Disability Social Care Funding and Commissioning from the NHS to local Government

Since 1 April 2009, funding and commissioning responsibility of social care for adults with learning disabilities transferred from the NHS to local authorities. Further guidance on capital transfers and other financial and practical issues is provided.

Published 2009

Services for adults with autistic spectrum conditions

This good practice advice for PCT and local authority commissioners builds on Better Services for People with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and is part of a programme of work to ensure that people with autistic spectrum conditions receive the right support to live life independently and to the full, exercising choice and control over decisions that affect their lives.

Published 2009, 26 pages

Services for adults with autistic spectrum conditions

This good practice advice for PCT and local authority commissioners builds on Better Services for People with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and is part of a programme of work to ensure that people with autistic spectrum conditions receive the right support to live life independently and to the full, exercising choice and control over decisions that affect their lives.

Published 2009, 26 pages

Basic guidelines for people who commission Easy Read information

The purpose of this document is to provide a set of basic guidelines for people commissioning information in Easy Read aimed at people with learning disabilities.

Published April 2009, 13 pages

Support for commissioning services for autistic spectrum conditions

This good practice advice for PCT and local authority commissioners builds on Better Services for People with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and is part of a programme of work to ensure that people with autistic spectrum conditions receive the right support to live life independently and to the full, exercising choice and control over decisions that affect their lives. This publication is part of a two-stage process to better support commissioners of services for adults with autistic spectrum condition and will be followed by detailed commissioning guidance later in the year.

Published April 2009, 26 pages

Other Documents and Conferences

1. Conference: World Class Mental Health Commissioning 2009; Making an impact?
2. PBC Connection: an initiative by NHS Networks to bring together stakeholders in practice-based commissioning.
3. Improving the patient experience: sharing success in mental health and learning disabilities
4. The Power of One the Power of Many
5. Comprehensive Area Assessment: Framework document
6. Health Action Planning and Health Facilitation for people with learning disabilities

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

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)

Services for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour/mental health needs

Services for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour/mental health needs is an updated version of the guidance originally produced by Professor Mansell and his project team in 1993. This good practice guidance sets out the actions that should be taken in order to effectively meet the needs of people with challenging behaviour. The guidance contained in this document supports the agenda set out in 'Valuing People' (2001) and the focus on personalisation and prevention in social care.

(Published November 2007, 43 pages)

Commissioning specialist adult learning disability health services

Good practice guidance on the commissioning of specialist adult learning disability health services for adults, in particular to assist in responding to shortcomings identified in these services in recent Healthcare Commission reports including those into abuse in Cornwall and Merton and Sutton.

(Published October 2007, 21 pages)

Bidding for capital finding for the Campus Reprovision Programme 2007/08

Following the announcement of capital funds to assist the campus reprovision programme, a letter has now been sent to PCT Commissioners informing them of the bidding process to apply for this year’s capital funding for reproviding campus learning disability services in the community.

(Published August 2007)

Primary Care Service Frameworks: New Management of Health for People with Learning Disabilities in Primary Care

The purpose of this Primary Care Service Framework is to equip commissioners, providers and practitioners with the necessary background knowledge, service and implementation details to safely commission and deliver a high quality, integrated service for the management of health for people with learning disabilities in primary care.

(Website)

Inclusion or control? : commissioning and contracting services for people

This paper seeks to critically assess the impact made by the introduction of commissioning and contracting as a new culture of social care in learning disability services. It offers an evaluation of the growth in importance of the user as consumer. Does the commissioning and the contract process give users with learning disabilities a greater influence over their services and ultimately their lives? It is suggested that far from empowering people with learning disabilities to have a say in the services they want, the emerging culture of business contracts and new public management transfers power firmly back into the hands of professionals making the decisions. Social work practice is changing in response to major shifts in social trends and at the behest of market values. Traditional models are being rejected and the challenge for social work is to adapt itself to operate within a competency based paradigm.

British Journal of Learning Disabilities, Concannon, Liam December 2006, vol. 34, no. 4, p. 200-205