Commissioning and a Population Approach to Health Services Decision-Making

There has been increasing emphasis on actively taking a population approach to the commissioning (planning and securing) of health services in England. Commissioning and a Population Approach to Health Services Decision-Making is a valuable tool for those working in health services commissioning at any level, public health professionals, students and trainees, or anyone looking to learn about the process of commissioning for health services.

The focus of this book is on real-life relevance and application. Based on over two decades of experience in the field, it explores what commissioning is really about, its role in improving the population's health, and the practical opportunities to move the effort in that direction.

It brings together fundamental topics to health services decision-making for populations, with a fresh emphasis on a practical commissioning perspective. Core concepts, or 'navigation tools', help to unlock day to day commissioning challenges such as the scoping of a health issue from a population perspective, making sense of different types of evidence, purposeful use of health intelligence, effective preventive opportunities, prioritisation, and many other topics.

This book covers the key opportunities for applying a population perspective to the nuts and bolts of commissioning as well as to the more strategic level challenges in commissioning practice. Whilst each topic provides a pertinent component in itself, in combination the collection forms a comprehensive armoury for commissioning for health gain and decision-making for populations.

Julie Sin, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Cheshire East Unitary Authority, and Healthcare Public Health Advisor, NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group

Julie Sin is a public health consultant in the North West of England and a health services interdisciplinarian. After graduating in medicine from the University of Manchester, she initially qualified as a GP in 1994 before moving into public health medicine. Recognising the big-picture challenges to health and health services, she has since spent her time on making a difference to population health through health services commissioning. Her insights into commissioning span across specialised services, acute and community services, and primary care. Her extensive experience has included roles as Governing Body member for a Clinical Commissioning Group, Associate Director of Public Health for Healthcare Improvement at a Primary Care Trust (PCT), lead consultant in public health for collaborative and specialised commissioning across the ten PCTs of Greater Manchester, and consultant in public health for Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority. She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health.

Part I: Core Concepts for a Population Approach to Health Services Decision-Making
1. Introduction
2. Health System Basic Structures
3. Commissioning Needs a Population Perspective
4. The Basic Commissioning Cycle
5. Public Health - Three Key Domains
6. Evidence Hierarchy
7. Spectrum of Effective Preventive Opportunities
8. Purposeful Use of Health Intelligence
Part II: Enabling Leadership for a Population Approach to Health Services Decision-Making
9. Population Approach to All Levels of Commissioning and Health Service Decision-Making
10. Prioritisation of Investments and Disinvestments in Healthcare: A Conceptual Toolkit
11. Deciding a Sensible Approach to Commissioning When Multiple Commissioners are Involved
12. Recognising Whether You are in Simple or Complex Problem Territory
13. Quality: Are We Up to Scratch?
14. What Can a Commissioner Do About Health Inequalities?
15. Taking Stock for the Future