Improving Models for Future Joint and Integrated Commissioning Scrutiny Review 10/11
Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission
The Council's Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission recently carried out a review of commissioning arrangements for health and social care services in Hackney. The Government's Health and Social Care Bill making its way through Parliament is likely to have a major impact on commissioning service for health and social care. It seemed a highly appropriate time to review how local commissioning had developed across the two sectors in Hackney to date, and how best to take advantage of the opportunities for change. The review made a number of recommendations to assist with improving local partnership working for commissioning services currently, in the future and goverance arrangements.
Important findings during the review was that increased patient choice, including the use of personal budgets, had the potential to disrupt the ability of strategic commissioners to direct the way in which services might develop in the future. But with local evidence of improved outcomes for health and wellbeing from pooled budgets the Commission wished to see these successes to be built upon. Key recommendations made were:
- To build on the partnership working to date
- Champion the use of the JSNA among commissioners in the borough
- Compile a list of all commissioned services to ensure no duplications
- Encouraged new commissioner to draw on local knowledge and experience of community engagement
- Emphasised the importance of capturing service users' experience and knowledge whilst maintaining the balance so as not to exclude valuable community group knowledge from commissioning process
- Develop a performance management framework that can be used for comparisons for best value and outcomes
- Urging commissioners to take a long term view and incorporate early intervention and prevention at the heart.
Governance, to reduce any gap in accountability the Council was urged to maintain health scrutiny and have all joint commissioning arrangements report to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
The Commission's final report
The Commission made 5 recommendations, based on the findings above.
Response from the Cabinet Member
Cllr Jonathan McShane (Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture) responded to the recommendations, noting that "Hackney Council is leading on behalf of residents in this important area of work to ensure that our Borough's specific needs are successfully met".
What has happened as a result of the review?
The Commission will hear back from the Executive in January 2012 on how these recoemmendations have been implemented. Relevant information will be posted here.
Page updated: 2 Nov 2011
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