New Care Act Guidance that focus on people not process when commissioning care services

Commissioners need to focus on people not processes when it comes to commissioning health and social care services and make sure people with care and support needs, families and carers are equal partners in deciding where services are commissioned from.

That's a key message from two new tools launched today by Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) that will help commissioners to improve the wellbeing of local people while meeting Care Act 2014 obligations.

People not process - Co-production in commissioning is a web based tool that explains what commissioners should think about to make sure they are working in the way the new Act says they should. This includes encouraging commissioners to seriously think about using co-production in their approach to market shaping and commissioning, which is described in the guidance as a "shared endeavour". This resource explains how commissioners can do this, drawing on a range of evidence of innovative practice and incorporating advice and examples to illustrate the steps that can be taken to make progress.

Top Tips: Commissioning for Market Diversity will help commissioners focus on the work they need to do in developing a care and support market that offers a diverse range of ways for their local population to meet their care and support needs. The guide offers ten top tips, examples and links to further information and a short series of questions that will help commissioners assess their progress in meeting market shaping duties and developing a diverse local market, as defined in the Care Act 2014.

Both resources support the Care Act statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping and the framework of commissioning standards: Commissioning for Better Outcomes: A Route Map published in 2014.

They will also be valuable tools for NHS commissioners working together with partners to deliver integration and new care models.

These resources were commissioned by the Department of Health in partnership with the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to support local government in implementing the Care Act 2014.

Sam Bennett, TLAP Director, says: "These tools provide a route-map to a better life for people who use services and for carers by ensuring the commissioning of local care and support services are well-led, inclusive and offer people real choice and control. They are the glue that holds the other Care Act support guidance together. Everything else follows on from practising coproduction when commissioning."

ADASS Vice President Harold Bodmer says: "ADASS has persistently argued the benefits of ensuring that people who need our services should be at the centre of the procedures through which those services are designed. Devolution, personalisation and co-production are the characteristic of our services that lead to quality, and it's great to be able to support these new tools from TLAP aimed at helping local authority social services achieve that end."

Bill Davidson from the TLAP National Coproduction Advisory Group who led this work says: "I see this tool as a way of appealing to commissioners to engage, include and give the dignity of decision making so that we can all share effective solutions".

Sharon Allen, Chief Executive of Skills for Care and TLAP Board lead for this work says: ""The Care Act is about changing the way citizens are supported in communities - making personalisation a reality for everyone who needs care and support. To support commissioners with this significant culture change, it is vital that we produced practical tools like this to turn that aspiration into a reality for all."

Lucie Stephens, Head of Co-production, NEF (the New Economics Foundation) says: 'The Care Act contains lots of positive terminology and it's vital this is translated into action. These tools are designed to support the culture shift and practical changes needed to make co-production part of everyone's day to day experience of care and support. By focussing on people not processes we will be able to create an environment in which everyone can thrive.'

Sian Lockwood, Chief Executive for Community Catalysts, says: " We are pleased to have been able to contribute to the development of the highly practical Top Tips guide, drawing upon our experience of supporting community enterprise. We are delighted that commissioning for market diversity recognises the importance of encouraging community endeavours and enterprises, delivered by local people for other local people."

ENDS

• People not process can be found at http://thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/co-production-in-commissioning-tool/ . TLAP developed this tool with New Economics Foundation, Jo Kidd Consulting, Tricia Nicoll Consulting, members of the National Coproduction Advisory Group and a steering group of key stakeholders.
• Top Tips: Commissioning for Market Diversity can be found at: http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/Regions/london/resources/overview/?coid=10756 TLAP developed this report with Helen Allen from Community Catalysts and independent consultants Louise Close and Andrew Tyson. A steering group oversaw the work, including representatives from the Department of Health, Care Quality Commission, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Care Providers Alliance and the Surrey Care Association.
• Think Local Act Personal has developed this guide as part of a suite of resources commissioned by the Department of Health in partnership with the Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to support those commissioning and providing care and support in implementing the Care Act 2014. To find out more on the Care Act and other support materials, visit www.local.gov.uk/care-support-reform
• Think Local Act Personal is a national partnership of more than 50 organisations committed to transforming health and care through personalisation and community-based support. For more information, visit www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk or contact jaimee.lewis@scie.org.uk / 020 7766 7377/ @jaimeelewis or sara.zmertych@Scie.org.uk / 020 7766 7412/ @tlap1