News
The better commissioning of public services
Significant improvements have already been delivered by commissioners in the public sector, yet there are still pressing challenges for more to be delivered with reduced funding.
Commissioners have asked for examples of the latest thinking and where new models have been, or are being, trialled so that best practice is shared widely, pitfalls are avoided, and the wheel is not continually reinvented.
Through several policies and programmes, including the Department of Communities and Local Government’s Our Place and Delivering Differently, The Public Service Transformation Network and the Commissioning Academy, the government is supporting local commissioners to design and implement commissioning models. Drawing on these programmes, together with other examples of excellent and innovative commissioning, we have gathered together emerging exemplars of commissioning practice with the aim of inspiring and assisting other commissioners in their public service transformation.
We think the case studies published here are ‘a must-read’. They reflect different commissioning scopes, from local authority through to neighbourhood level, across a breadth of services ranging from public health, mental health, adult social care and early intervention with families who have complex needs, through to preventing re-offending, domestic violence and transferring assets (parks and libraries) into community ownership.
The case studies are all different but together they form a powerful narrative and resource for what is possible, without being shy of what still remains to be done. We hope you find them inspiring and insightful. Already we have been able to draw out some top tips which these case studies suggest underpin good commissioning.
Cases
Devolving services & decisions: ADASS/Dept of Health / Shropshire / Trowbridge / Devon / Shrewsbury / Portsmouth / White City
Market development: Barnsley / Croydon / Kirklees / Sutton / Kensington & Chelsea / Gloucestershire / Shrewsbury / Waltham Forest / Leeds / White City
Co-commissioning: ADASS/Dept of Health / Bath & NE Somerset / Barnsley / Leeds / Kirklees / Portsmouth / Waltham Forest / Berkshire / Queens Park / Lambeth Southwark & Lewisham / Sutton
Partnership & engagement: Berkshire / Cheshire West & Chester / Croydon / Devon / Leeds / Gloucestershire / Hastings / Shropshire / Trowbridge / White City
Evidence: Queens Park / Tri-borough / Kensington & Chelsea / Lambeth Southwark & Lewisham / Berkshire