Welcome
In this month’s issue of the bulletin we look at commissioning and the role it plays in transforming health and social care services.
Department of Health guidelines show how smart commissioning can be used to personalise social care by sourcing and providing quality information and advice for service users, helping them to exercise choice and control over the services they use.
Good commissioning isn’t just about procuring goods and services at the best prices and buying in bulk. It’s also about analysing and understanding the needs of organisations and service users, prioritising these needs and identifying resources to meet them, securing the appropriate goods and services, and continuous monitoring and evaluation – read our report on the DH framework for commissioning to find out how this works in practice.
Growing budgetary pressures have moved commissioning to centre stage.
The challenge facing councils is to ensure commissioning strategies reflect the priorities of preventing, reducing or delaying health and social care costs.
The JIP and Improvement Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM) will continue to help local authorities commission more efficiently and effectively by funding and implementing a range of initiatives including training and the Procurement Hub.
Wendy Fabbro
Acting Director of Adult Social Care Herefordshire Council
& NHS Herefordshire PCT
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Monday, 21 June 2010
Playing for independence in Staffs
Staffordshire County Council is using a board game to help service users identify what they need to live independently.Designed by the Joint Commissioning Unit, the game Me, Myself & I* takes a holistic approach to looking at someone’s needs by focussing on six different areas of a person’s life – My Health, My Safety, My Home, My Life, My Money and My Choice.
The format makes it suitable for playing in an informal environment, either in a group or with an individual as part of their support session.
Feedback from service users will be used to influence future commissioning and service design.
The game is available for housing support workers, council colleagues, partners and organisations to use, and was an unqualified success when played at the annual Staffordshire Social Care and Health event held earlier this year.
Contact: Eve Wilson, Joint Commissioning Unit, email: eve.wilson@staffordshire.gov.uk, telephone: 01785 854238,
* © Staffordshire County Council, April 2010.
Mapping the workforce for the future
A number of key issues have been identified during a review of the region’s adult social care workforce planning arrangements, leading to a series of recommendations from the Workforce Mapping project.
DBI Consulting has been commissioned by JIP to deliver the project.
Consultants have carried out extensive research, looking at the state of the social care workforce, the sectors’ needs, the available resources, as well as gaps in the workforce and how they may be filled.
A considerable amount of information has been gathered on local trends and practices, partnership working, learning and development, and the relationship between service commissioning and workforce planning.
Issues that have come to light include:
Leadership - regional and local leadership needs to be proactive in supporting and driving workforce planning.
Recruitment and retention - turnover rates among staff are high (even in a recession) due to a number of factors including lack of clear career progression. Workers need to see there is a worthwhile future in the caring profession
National Minimum Data Set - a number of local authorities have to get to grips with this. Until there is good quality data that can be matched with the transformation agenda local authorities will not be able to plan effectively
Commissioning and workforce planning – these functions are currently separate and need to be co-ordinated. If commissioners do not know what skills are available, and workforce professionals are unaware of commissioners’ plans, the needs of services and organisations may not be adequately met
Training – there is a tendency for duplication, with numerous training courses on the same theme taking place in the region. These could rationalised by joined up planning.
Meetings and networks – the array of meetings and networks (often duplicating each other) can stretch employees’ time and commitment. There is need for taking stock of what exists, plus rationalisation and co-ordination
Safeguarding – ensuring arrangements for direct payment recipients are effective
Mapping care pathways - greater coordination between health, local authorities, private, independent and volunatary sector organisatons, will improve the service users’ experience and efficiency in services.
A full report will be presented with recommendations to the JIP in June 2010.
For more information contact: Jo Potter, Management Consultant, Dbi Consulting, email: http://www.dbiconsulting.co.uk/, telephone: 07957 705079
DBI Consulting has been commissioned by JIP to deliver the project.
Consultants have carried out extensive research, looking at the state of the social care workforce, the sectors’ needs, the available resources, as well as gaps in the workforce and how they may be filled.
A considerable amount of information has been gathered on local trends and practices, partnership working, learning and development, and the relationship between service commissioning and workforce planning.
Issues that have come to light include:
Leadership - regional and local leadership needs to be proactive in supporting and driving workforce planning.
Recruitment and retention - turnover rates among staff are high (even in a recession) due to a number of factors including lack of clear career progression. Workers need to see there is a worthwhile future in the caring profession
National Minimum Data Set - a number of local authorities have to get to grips with this. Until there is good quality data that can be matched with the transformation agenda local authorities will not be able to plan effectively
Commissioning and workforce planning – these functions are currently separate and need to be co-ordinated. If commissioners do not know what skills are available, and workforce professionals are unaware of commissioners’ plans, the needs of services and organisations may not be adequately met
Training – there is a tendency for duplication, with numerous training courses on the same theme taking place in the region. These could rationalised by joined up planning.
Meetings and networks – the array of meetings and networks (often duplicating each other) can stretch employees’ time and commitment. There is need for taking stock of what exists, plus rationalisation and co-ordination
Safeguarding – ensuring arrangements for direct payment recipients are effective
Mapping care pathways - greater coordination between health, local authorities, private, independent and volunatary sector organisatons, will improve the service users’ experience and efficiency in services.
A full report will be presented with recommendations to the JIP in June 2010.
For more information contact: Jo Potter, Management Consultant, Dbi Consulting, email: http://www.dbiconsulting.co.uk/, telephone: 07957 705079
Grants for social business supporting health and care
Social enterprises delivering innovative improvements to health or social care can apply for a loan, grant or business support from the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF).
Social enterprises are businesses with social objectives. Profits tend to be invested to benefit the community they serve.
The SIEF provides advice and funding for businesses that are starting up, as well as loans for enterprises already in existence.
Scores of care and health related enterprises have been set up across the country with the help of the fund, providing employment opportunities to local people.
Read more
Social enterprises are businesses with social objectives. Profits tend to be invested to benefit the community they serve.
The SIEF provides advice and funding for businesses that are starting up, as well as loans for enterprises already in existence.
Scores of care and health related enterprises have been set up across the country with the help of the fund, providing employment opportunities to local people.
Read more
Stating the case for market shaping
The report ‘Why is market shaping and development important?’ presents key findings from analysis of the local government market.
Published by the Department for Communities and Local Government, it considers the main challenges and opportunities faced by markets in local government services, and outlines issues influencing the effectiveness of competition across the sector.
Read more
Published by the Department for Communities and Local Government, it considers the main challenges and opportunities faced by markets in local government services, and outlines issues influencing the effectiveness of competition across the sector.
Read more
Shaping markets for the future
Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands is funding a market shaping project to stimulate the development and supply of services that meet the demands of service users.
The need for market shaping has become evident with the arrival of the Personal Assistant project which focuses on increasing the number and quality of PAs to care for people on personal budgets.
The project found service users often could not find the type of assistance they want, and have to settle for less than ideal provision.
The revelation has led to the formation of the Market Shaping Project.
Over the next 12 months local authorities will be encouraged to bring service users and providers together, to gain better understanding of both sides’ needs and aspirations. The project also aims to identify innovative commissioning and service solutions, and help to develop a sustainable and varied market that includes the third sector and micro businesses.
Contact: Paul Johnston, IEWM Project Manager, email: Paul.Johnston@impactchange.co.uk, telephone: 01670 528438.
The need for market shaping has become evident with the arrival of the Personal Assistant project which focuses on increasing the number and quality of PAs to care for people on personal budgets.
The project found service users often could not find the type of assistance they want, and have to settle for less than ideal provision.
The revelation has led to the formation of the Market Shaping Project.
Over the next 12 months local authorities will be encouraged to bring service users and providers together, to gain better understanding of both sides’ needs and aspirations. The project also aims to identify innovative commissioning and service solutions, and help to develop a sustainable and varied market that includes the third sector and micro businesses.
Contact: Paul Johnston, IEWM Project Manager, email: Paul.Johnston@impactchange.co.uk, telephone: 01670 528438.
Free training in Dudley
Dudley Council’s half day training course, Safeguarding Raising Awareness, is available to all PAs free of charge.
Mandatory half day child protection training is also free, and must be taken up by PAs working in households where there are children under 16.
All other courses incur a charge for service users.
PAs and people receiving direct payments took part in consultation on barriers to recruitment in February this year. One issue to arise is the lack of support, and isolation faced by PAs. The idea of setting up a PA network is now being explored.
Contact: Judith Round, Direct Payments Co-ordinator, telephone: 01384 813465
Mandatory half day child protection training is also free, and must be taken up by PAs working in households where there are children under 16.
All other courses incur a charge for service users.
PAs and people receiving direct payments took part in consultation on barriers to recruitment in February this year. One issue to arise is the lack of support, and isolation faced by PAs. The idea of setting up a PA network is now being explored.
Contact: Judith Round, Direct Payments Co-ordinator, telephone: 01384 813465
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