Lecture 8: Improving health services: commissioning

Question 1

What is commissioning?

Answer 1

The process of ensuring that the health and care services provided effectively meet the needs of the population. It is a complex process with responsibilities ranging from assessing population needs, prioritising health outcomes, procuring products and services, and managing service providers.

Question 2

Purchasing

Answer 2

The process of buying or funding services in response to demand or useage

Question 3

What is contracting

Answer 3

The technical process of selecting a provider, negotiating and agreeing the terms of a contract for service

Question 4

What is procurement?

Answer 4

the process of identifying a supplier, and may involve for example competitive tendering, competitive quotation, single sourcing, stimulating the market

Question 5

What does planning involve?

Answer 5

Health needs assessment, reviewing current provision, identifying gaps and priorities, capacity planning

Question 6

Procurement

Answer 6

service design, defining contracts, procuring appropriate services, managing demand

Question 7

Monitoring

Answer 7

Monitoring activity and quality, invoicing and payment, user and local authority views, feedback