Commissioning with the community

Commissioning with the Community describes an exciting and effective approach to priority setting that has been developed and tested to help commissioners make robust decisions with the support of their community.

Commenting on the work, Gary Belfield, Acting Director General of Commissioning and System Management at the Department of Health, said: 'Commissioning is more vital than ever if the health service is to rise to the challenge of enhancing quality in tandem with improving productivity.

'A key aspect of successful commissioning will be that health outcomes and priorities are determined at a local level with good involvement of partners and the local population. 

'Where there are good working relationships innovation can be a key driver to improve care and drive down costs. The work underway in the Isle of Wight with the support of the Health Foundation is a great example of what can be achieved.'

The approach tested by Isle of Wight PCT combines technical value for money analysis with stakeholder engagement. This allows commissioners to take into account different factors when determining how resources can be most effectively invested. It has been generating considerable interest.

Results include a 50% reduction in emergency asthma admissions thanks to collective support to redesign services.