Definitions 2.1 Commissioning care commissioning is a set of activities by which local authorities and partners “Social ensure that services are planned and organised to best meet the social care outcomes required by their citizens. It involves understanding the population need, best practice and local resources to plan, implement and review changes in services. It requires a whole system perspective and applies to services provided by local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector services.” A commissioning strategy is formal statement of plans for securing, specifying and “A monitoring services to meet needs at a strategic level. It applies to services people’s provided by the local authority, NHS, other public agencies and the private and voluntary sectors”. The Commissioning Process The commissioning process can be illustrated in the diagram below which shows the role of procurement as well as strategic commissioning. Figure 1: The Commissioning Cycle The diagram above illustrates that commissioning is a process which comprises a variety of activities which are interrelated and sequenced. These activities can be grouped into four key categories and together these form a cycle: Analysis of guidance, best practice, population needs, market, risks and – resources and establishing common priorities and outcomes between agencies. Planning Undertaking gap-analysis, designing and specifying services and – preparing strategies Doing Capacity building, developing good relationships with providers, – ensuring service quality and procuring services. the success of services in achieving outcomes and reviewing Reviewing – market performance against commissioning priorities. 2.3 Care Home Services The charity HousingCare.org defines a care home as: residential setting where a number of older people live, usually in single “A rooms, and have access to on-site care services. Since April 2002 all homes in
Definitions 2.1 Commissioning “Social care commissioning is a set of activities by which local authorities and partners ensure that services are planned and organised to best meet the social care outcomes required by their citizens. It involves understanding the population need, best practice and local resources to plan, implement and review changes in services. It requires a whole system perspective and applies to services provided by local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector services.” A commissioning strategy is “A formal statement of plans for securing, specifying and monitoring services to meet people’s needs at a strategic level. It applies to services provided by the local authority, NHS, other public agencies and the private and voluntary sectors”. The Commissioning Process The commissioning process can be illustrated in the diagram below which shows the role of procurement as well as strategic commissioning. Figure 1: The Commissioning Cycle The diagram above illustrates that commissioning is a process which comprises a variety of activities which are interrelated and sequenced. These activities can be grouped into four key categories and together these form a cycle: Analysis – of guidance, best practice, population needs, market, risks and resources and establishing common priorities and outcomes between agencies. Planning – Undertaking gap-analysis, designing and specifying services and preparing strategies Doing – Capacity building, developing good relationships with providers, ensuring service quality and procuring services. Reviewing – the success of services in achieving outcomes and reviewing market performance against commissioning priorities. 2.3 Care Home Services The charity HousingCare.org defines a care home as: “A residential setting where a number of older people live, usually in single rooms, and have access to on-site care services. Since April 2002 all homes in