• It is the process of ensuring that the health services provided most effectively meet the needs of the population
• Effective commissioning will ensure the right care, in the right place, at the right time for the right person

MK Commissioning Clinical Commissioning group (CCG) is the lead health commissioning organisation in Milton Keynes. It has the responsibility and accountability for overseeing the series of connected commissioning disciplines which taken together form what is known as the commissioning or planning cycle.

Thet white paper ‘Equity & Excellence: liberating the NHS’ in July 2010 outlined a shift in emphasis towards a new system of commissioning. In particular it set out to reform the NHS through four key areas:

• Give patients more information and choice
• Improve health outcomes to among the best in the world
• Empower patients and the professionals which treat them
• Remove unnecessary bureaucracy and make the NHS more efficient

Increasingly the national focus will be on the way the NHS responds to patients, and the outcomes it achieves by tackling variations in health through improved commissioning, with publication of a new framework to track health improvement achieved.

Currently in the NHS, there is a need to meet rising demand while also continuing to improve performance and outcomes for patients. To achieve this, the NHS is being asked to cut waste, reduce bureaucracy and simplify structures.

In order to put decision-making about healthcare as close as possible to patients, power and responsibility for planning and buying health services was devolved to local groups of clinicians in April 2013.

A comprehensive system of Clinical Commissioning Groups, supported by and accountable to NHS England, is now in place charged with commissioning healthcare.

All Milton Keynes GP practices have joined with other health professionals in NHS Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group, which is responsible for planning, designing and paying  for your NHS services. This includes commissioning planned and emergency hospital care, rehabilitation, most community services and mental health and learning disability services.

As well as overseeing the performance of Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS England commissions GP services, pharmacy, opticians and dentists, and other specialised services.

GPs and other clinicians are also responsible for engaging with local people to ensure that the services they commission meet the MK population’s needs.

A new healthcare consumer body called Healthwatch England also came into being in April 2013 along with local Healthwatch bodies which replaced the Local Involvement Networks (LINks). Healthwatch MK promotes public engagement in the NHS, comments on changes to local services, acts as an advocate for complaints and delivers advice across health and social care.

Click here for further information about NHS Milton Keynes CCG’s current plans.

Objectives of Commissioning

Effective commissioning will:

• improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities;
• improve quality, effectiveness and efficiency;
• develop comprehensive services; and
• achieve best value within available resources