Local commissioning
Thank you to all LDC secretaries who responded to the local commissioning survey for the independent Local Commissioning Working Group. The BDA established the Working Group to consider oral health commissioning in the context of the World Class Commissioning framework and the recommendations of NHS Next Stage Review.
Surveys were sent to all LDC secretaries and a similar survey sent to dental commissioning leads at the PCTs and LHBs in England and Wales. Early results show good relations between LDCs and PCTs/LHBs: the vast majority are in regular contact with each other and most find this contact to be helpful. Around half of the PCTs/LHBs reported that they practised ‘creative commissioning’ (defined as: using variations to the contracting and performance monitoring outlined in the standard national contract in order better to address local needs). Over half of them plan to increase the use of creative commissioning with existing providers in the next three years.
Some examples of creative commissioning identified in the survey include: quality outcome framework ‘QoF’ style initiatives (used by 13 per cent of the PCTs/LHBs), balanced scorecards, and enhanced UDAs for new or high-needs patients. The BDA research team is now going to conduct in-depth case studies of a small number of the examples identified. The case studies will provide an opportunity to examine the impacts that different creative commissioning models can have on dentists, patients, and commissioners in order to highlight examples of best practice.
A fuller analysis of the survey results will be available in the next Policy and Research bulletin which will be available on the BDA website in June. For further information please contact Ruthe Isden, Senior Policy Advisor or call 0207 563 4579.
