Commissioner of the Year Award
Endorsed and Sponsored by
World class financial management and a stable local finance economy are essential pre-requisites for World Class Commissioning but an emphasis on collaborative working to optimise health gains is what defines its success. This Award seeks to recognise innovative practices and sustainable improvement in health outcomes through World Class Commissioning.
Winner: NHS Bournemouth and Poole
NHS Bournemouth and Poole won the Healthcare Commissioner of the Year Award for its No Delays Discharge programme, which it says is World Class Commissioning in action. The programme is complemented by the No Delays Access scheme, which the PCT believes demonstrates its ability to lead the local NHS by, for example, delivering the 18-week referral to treatment programme and tackling delayed transfers of care.
The judging panel said the No Delays scheme demonstrated an innovative approach to commissioning to improve clinical and care outcomes, together with a dynamic method of partnership working. The programme will provide a model for acute providers, they added.
As well as better outcomes and positive feedback from patients and their families, the ‘no delay’ culture has led to the achievement of the 18-weeks target, delayed transfers have been reduced and the independent sector market has been stimulated.
The programme has been developed further in 2008/09 with a £1.7m investment. One aspect of the enhanced programme is the commissioning of peripatetic rehabilitation teams that will support patients in the independent sector beds to ensure their rehab period is optimised. The Royal Bournemouth is now confident of achieving a 13-week referral to treatment programme in 2008/09 and it is likely this will reduce further by the year-end.
Further detail on the winning entry is available in the HFMA 2008 Awards Supplement.
What the judges said
“A clear story of a problem identified, commissioning solution implemented and outcomes produced.”
Further detail on the entry requirements, judging criteria and judges for this particular award can be found in the HFMA 2008 Awards Brochure.