Web based tool for planning and commissioning care

Planning4care is a web based tool provided by the Audit Commission to help councils, primary care trusts and care providers make informed decisions about future commissioning plans.


It helps authorities build a picture of the care needs of local populations, identifies areas of high and unmet need, links needs to service requirements and costs, and explores the impact of different scenarios.


The tool saves time and resources needed for data analysis and forecasting.
It also provides:

• local estimates of social care need and service requirements to 2030


• a strategic needs assessment summary report


• information on the potential impact of different decisions and changing demographic trends.

It builds on national models for long term care projections for older people, and learning disability and mental health groups.

Planning4care (Older People) for local authorities and PCTs starts from £5,000 for a strategic needs assessment report, scenario mapping, access to the website and a half-day introductory briefing.

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Commissioning learning disability support

A booklet giving ideas and examples of how commissioners might respond to personalisation of services for people with learning disabilities is available free of charge from LG Improvement and Development.

‘Person centered commissioning now: a pathway approach to commissioning learning disability support’ helps commissioners examine what personalisation means for them, their organisations and the people they serve.

From April 2009 responsibility for commissioning and funding of social care for adults with learning disabilities was transferred from the NHS to local authorities.

The publication provides illustrations of what commissioners need to do to understand the individual’s needs, funding streams, and service design and self directed support.

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Joint commissioning framework for dementia

The National Dementia Strategy joint commissioning framework provides best practice guidance for commissioning dementia services.

It includes a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment template, summary of NICE and SCIE evidence for dementia services, commissioning levers against each of the strategy's objectives, and a summary of South East Coastal Strategic Health Autority dementia metrics.

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Making commissioning work

An overview of different types and approaches to commissioning is given on the LG Improvement and Development website (formerly the IDeA).

It refers to the Department for Communities and Local Government definition of commissioning as a role “in which the authority seeks to secure the best outcomes for their local community by making use of all available resources – without regard for whether services are provided in house, externally or through various forms of partnership.”

It also describes the commissioning cycle as:
· gathering and analysing intelligence on need, supply and resources
· establishing priorities and service options
· engaging capacity to deliver and secure services
· monitoring, reviewing, improving and decommissioning.


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Using JSNAs to improve commissioning

Advice on using joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) to inform local commissioning is available on the DH website.

Local authorities and PCTs are legally required to produce JSNAs to build a profile of the state health and well being of people in their local communities.

DH guidance on how to do this describes different stages of the process, including stakeholder involvement, engaging with communities, and gives advice on how to use the JSNA to improve local commissioning.

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Framework for commissioning

The commissioning framework for health and well being sets out the eight steps needed to commission health and care services more effectively.

Its purpose is to show commissioners how they can provide personalised services, promote heath and well being, prevent ill health, and work in partnership to reduce health inequalities.

Emphasis is on:

• a shift towards services that are personal and sensitive to the individual’s needs while maintaining independence and dignity


• a strategic shift towards promoting health and well being, investing up front to reduce the cost of future ill health


• a stronger focus on commissioning services and interventions to achieve better health, with the health service and local government working together to promote inclusion and tackle health inequalities.

The eight steps to effective commissioning describe how this can be achieved:

• putting people at the centre of commissioning by giving people greater choice and control over services and treatment, and access to good information and advice


• understanding the needs of populations and individuals by undertaking joint assessments
• sharing information more effectively in order to make the most appropriate decisions when commissioning
• assuring high quality providers for all services by developing strong, effective partnerships with service providers and engaging them in needs assessments
• recognising the interdependence between work, health and well being by improving employee health and well being, and helping people into employment
• developing incentives for commissioning health and well being services for example, encouraging PCTs and practice based commissioners to be more flexible in using NHS funds
• making it happen: local accountability by developing a single, national health and social care vision
• making it happen: capability and leadership by developing commissioning leadership and capability.
  
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JIP e- bulletin No.14 July 2010

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