The PSTA / Commissioning Compass / Reading
What is the commissioning compass?
Introduction. Teaching text from June 2025.
June 2025 teaching template, slide 4
What do we mean by commissioning?
June 2025 teaching template, slide 5
Foundations of good practice
Commissioning development offered through the PSTA draws from the good practice model of the eight aspects of commissioning. Developed for the LGA and Partners in Care and Health
June 2025 teaching template, slide 6
What is the commissioning compass?
The compass is:
A system assessment tool for change
A framework to hold in mind – not a maturity model
Helps you see where change is possible
Reveals what holds your system back
Helps identify your best leverage points for change
What do we mean by system?
When you are commissioning for outcomes, you are connected to a large network of stakeholders, including citizens, communities, organisations, partners and providers. All of this interconnecting network is your system. It makes up the complex whole.
June 2025 teaching template, slide 7
What is the commissioning compass?
We help you to assess your system and give you a sense of direction about how you can plan to improve.
The goal - helping you navigate complexity and impact on outcomes for people and place
We have learned from practice in real places.
We engaged 60 practitioners in collaboration with the Local Government Association.
We have formally tested in three councils – whole council, adult social care, children's services.
We have developed the PSTA's Commissioning Academies (insert link) around the framework of the aspects of the Compass.
June 2025 teaching template, slide 8
What is the commissioning compass?
The commissioning compass enables you to take a strategic view of commissioning. It lifts you out of just considering the commissioning process (although we cover that too), encouraging you to ask yourself deep, reflective questions, and exploring your context. It helps you see and understand where the pushes and pulls are and identify strengths and areas for improvement.
You can use the compass just for yourself. Or as a tool for development with your team, across your department or organisation.
It works best with partners as part of a development process, enabling you to really stretch up into whole system working for wellbeing.
At the heart of this assessment is how you, as a strategic commissioner, work with complexity.
June 2025 teaching template, slide 9
What is the commissioning compass?
To use the system assessment, first, you assess your system using our 'eight aspects' of commissioning model. These aspects help you to:
Appreciate how commissioning works now
Identify where you can focus to unlock change
See the full picture – not a single model or perspective
Begin (or continue) a developmental journey
Once you understand your system, use your current position, constraints, and enablers to create an action plan and to select the correct 'commissioning approach'.
Only go into as much detail as you have time for, and as is useful!