Customer choice – the future for commissioning?
Introduction of the ‘choice’ agenda is causing substantial shifts in the structures of Departments. Commissioning functions have emerged or are being strengthened. They are moving from a scenario of ensuring funding to deliver front line service, to one of commercially managing a tri-sector market that will deliver these services.
The front line services provided by Government in Health and Welfare in the UK have undergone substantial change over recent years. They have moved a long way towards the citizen centric approach adopted since the Varney recommendations. There has also been an increased drive towards providing ‘choice’ to the end customer. This is beginning to introduce consumerism into the provision of front line services.
Particularly within the Health care, Social care and Welfare services there has already been an increase in the use of Private and Voluntary sector organisations to work alongside the Public sector to provide the best possible outcomes for individuals, and the country as a whole.
Atos is considering the issues facing the Commissioner for 2008 and beyond. The practices that leading commissioners are deploying to address these issues are:
- How can a commissioner understand the market in which he or she is operating?
- How can the commissioner understand the requirement and demand plan, and articulate this in a way that makes most sense to the market?
- How can commissioners develop a market and attract new entrants?
- How can commissioners manage the performance of the markets with which they interact?
- What is an appropriate level of commercial expertise to which a commissioner can have access?
- How can we use commercial expertise to improve outcomes, but not costs?
- How can we contract for ‘choice’, and make it affordable?