What is commissioning?
As the lead organisation for the NHS in Bath and North East Somerset, we want to help you and your family to live longer healthier lives by ensuring you get the very best services, when and where you want them.
NHS B&NES receives a budget from the Department of Health, along with a set of guidance about essential services that must be delivered and standards and targets that must be met. We use this money to buy services for local people that will meet these requirements in ways that have the greatest benefit for health and wellbeing.
This whole process is called ‘commissioning’, but in very simple terms it is about working out what is needed by the Bath & North East Somerset population, by looking at research, talking to local people, professionals and our health and social care partners, and then buying that service from the best provider. This could be continuing with an existing service, changing the service (because there are new and better ways of caring for you) or developing a new service.
We then watch the service very carefully to see if it:
• Is providing the service and benefits as planned
• Is giving a quality service
• People like the service.
As well as buying care services we also work hard to promote and raise awareness of public health issues. These range from obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption to sexual health, health at work and teenage pregnancy.
The commissioning team
The commissioning team choose then buy services for the people of B&NES. These range from acute services such as hospital services, hospice care, pharmacy services, dentists, doctors etc.
Not only does this team have to purchase the very best of services that are relevant for the area's population, but it has to monitor and develop them in such a way that the overall health is improved.