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How to Achieve World Class Commissioning Competencies. Practical tips for NHS Commissioners

The Government has set out its vision for a future health service that delivers better health and well-being for all, helps people to live healthier and longer lives and reduces health inequalities. At the heart of its vision are plans for a new form of commissioning that has not yet been developed or implemented in a comprehensive way anywhere in the world.

Launched in December 2007, the World Class Commissioning programme aims to drive up the commissioning capability of local NHS commissioners. It introduced 11 organisational competencies that set out the knowledge, skills, behaviours and characteristics commissioners need to turn the Government’s vision into reality.

Each autumn, a commissioning assurance process will assess whether primary care trusts (PCTs) are achieving better health outcomes for the local population. Part of this process will be an assessment of how well PCTs are performing against each of the 11 competencies.

Lord Darzi’s recent review of the NHS and his report High Quality Care for All build on earlier healthcare reforms but set a new challenge around the quality of care and publication of quality performance information. The World Class Commissioning programme will be the underlying delivery vehicle for this and many other objectives in current health policy.

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