Joint Strategic Commissioning

What is it? A common definition across health and social care

The National Steering Group for Joint Strategic Commissioning have defined strategic commissioning across health and social care as:

the term used for all the activities involved in assessing and forecasting needs, links investment to agreed desired outcomes, considering options, planning the nature, range and quality of future services and working in partnership to put these in place. Joint commissioning is where these actions are undertaken by two or more agencies working together, typically health and local government, and often from a pooled or aligned budget.

To see the full definition, including context, see:

Joint Strategic Commissioning - A Definition [993Kb]
National Steering Group - Remit & Membership [46Kb]

Joint Strategic Commissioning Conference 2013

Thanks to all the delegates for attending this conference at the Dunblane Hydro on 14th May.

Key messages, issues and proposals emerged from the conference. Click on the following link to view the full report:
Delivering our Ambition report [299Kb]

All of the day’s presentations are available below, including the workshop slides.
Dunblane Presentations [12Mb]
Dunblane Workshop 4 [284Kb]
Dunblane Workshop 5a [678Kb]
Dunblane Workshop 5b [3Mb]

If you have not already done so, can you please complete the evaluation form below and email it to Linda Bruce at your earliest convenience.
Delivering Our Ambitions Evaluation Form [1Mb]

Joint Strategic Commissioning Plans and the Change Fund - Guidance for 2013/14

The guidance explains what is expected to feature in these plans, clarifies the continuing role of the Change Fund and lays out the timescales and process in finalising commissioning plans and reporting the use of the Change Fund. Partnerships' have until 28 February 2013 to submit the template contained within the guidance.

Commissioning/Change Fund Guidance - 2013/14 [287Kb]
The JIT have also issued a letter detailing the support available to Partnerships, and there is also an optional excel spreadsheet available to assist Partnerships' in preparing the Change Fund aspect of their plans.

JSC - Letter detailing national support - Nov 2012 [272Kb]
Optional Spreadsheet Supporting Local Progress [115Kb]

Joint Strategic Commissioning Learning Development Framework

In order to assist those responsible for improving joint commissioning skills and capacity across the Partnership, the JIT and the Scottish Government commissioned the Institute of Public Care to produce a Learning Development Framework focussing on joint commissioning.

Joint Commissioning Learning Development Framework [1Mb]
In particular it explores the skills needed to to deliver effective joint strategic commissining of older people's services. However, it is intended that the material is useful for other groups of patients nad service users as well - the joint commissioning skills involved are relevant to all populations, service users and patients. It will be of particular use to:

  • Senior Partnership leaders, executives and commissioning managers;
  • Officers with responsibility for training, organisation development and HR;
  • Individuals wanting to develop their own joint commissioning skills.

Key Strategic Commissioning Documents

The joint commissioning of older people’s services is a key focus of the support that the JIT provides to health and social care partnerships. Developing a coherent joint commissioning strategy is fundamental to delivering on the Scottish Governments key policy objective of re-shaping care for older people. At a time of substantially increasing numbers of older people, coupled with reducing resources, it represents an important tool that can provide rigour and transparency to the decisions taken by commissioners and confidence to a public who otherwise see changes taking place that they do not understand.

We have therefore developed a number of key resources to support partnerships work to develop their joint strategic commissioning proposals, including:

Preparing Your Joint Strategic Commissioning Plan for Older People – A practical guide to structure and content - June 2012

This advice note is designed to assist partnerships in setting out their commissioning intentions for 2013 and beyond. It should be read in conjunction with the Definitions Paper (above), and has been updated from the advice note of the same name from September 2011.

An important additional element of this guide is the inclusion of information regarding a Housing Impact Assessment (HIA) (since renamed as the Housing Contribution Statement) which partnerships should prepare as part of their 2013/14 Joint Strategic Commissioning Plan for Older People.

Commissioning – A guide to structure and content - June 2012 [224Kb]

Strategic Commissioning - Self-Assessment Criteria - June 2012

This note sets out the evaluation criteria that partnerships may use in assessing their progress in developing joint strategic commissioning arrangements. Whilst the criteria may be applied to commissioning for any care group, in 2012/13 they are intended to assist partnerships in preparation of their Joint Strategic Commissioning Plans for Older People.

Strategic Commissioning - Self-Evaluation Criteria [223Kb]

Preparing your Joint Commissioning Strategy for Older People – A practical guide to get you started - August 2011

This three part guide has been prepared to help local health, housing and social care partnerships to embark on the work required to create Joint Commissioning Strategies for Older People. The core content, relating to processes and steps set out in these papers, is applicable to all community care groups, but we have focussed on older people.

Joint Commissioning - A practical guide to get you started [231Kb]

A Controlled Earthquake - A think piece on where Joint Commissioning Strategies need to go

This brief paper by Nigel Walker seeks to bring together some of the key messages regarding Joint Commissioning and the challenges and next steps which people will need to consider. Writing the strategy is but a start and the more difficult steps of helping it become a reality and transform services is where the real concentration of effort will need to be. This challenging paper sets out some of the hurdles and possible solutions that will demand both innovative thinking and a strong focus upon delivering improved outcomes if they are to succeed in bringing about the necessary changes.

A Controlled Earthquake - A think piece [230Kb]

If you have any queries regarding support or learning opportunities for your partnership, agency or sector, or would like to discuss more bespoke assistance around strategic commissioning, please contact Tony Homer (01361 890 698) or Alistair Hodgson (0131 244 3652) in the first instance.