Dear Sir,

Last week’s leader provides both challenge and food for thought for clinicians. As an established network for health care professionals engaged in commissioning (nurses, AHPs, pharmacists, dentists and optometrists), we concur entirely that any new commissioning model should involve a wide range of professionals.

In a nutshell, we believe that GP commissioning should build on ‘best in class’ commissioning practice. Led by front line clinicians, it needs to adopt a lean, pro-active approach that strikes a healthy balance between inclusivity, responsive decision making and action.  We believe ‘new commissioning’ will be most effective when multidisciplinary clinical teams drives change at national, regional and local levels, using highly developed communication channels to create ownership and draw in ideas and insights from across the health economy.

Commissioners are going to need a rich picture of local health and well being plus patient experience to inform their decision making.  Everyone has a piece of that complex picture. Commissioning should pull it all together so commissioners can see, hear, feel and understand how the system works now and what needs to change to improve quality. We believe that:

1  Names matter - the name GP commissioning could create a barrier to integrated, inclusive commissioning. We need transformational change today. Policy and process must drive integrated commissioning for integrated care; 

2  Local relationships are key – health care professionals need to share responsibility for NHS budgets. We need contractual frameworks that incentivise provider collaboration;

3  Public health improvement is bigger than general practice or primary care – and those with the greatest health needs are often unregistered or low users of GP services. The new model must link with the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) to ensure local commissioning retains a public health focus;

4  Commissioning decisions should be based on data from many sources – and we need to use that data and the insights from all those who impact on people’s care; 

5  Patients need to be fully involved in commissioning - finding more effective ways of involving patients and the public will be critical to the success of commissioning in the future.

We are convinced that all health care professionals make a valuable contribution to commissioning. We look forward to debating the issues over the coming months so that whatever form commissioning takes, it quickly delivers meaningful improvements in care for our patients.

Signed by National Health Care Professional Commissioning Network members:

Stephen Foster, Pharmacy Lead
Debra Sprague, Nursing Lead
Paul Hitchcock, Director AHP Federation

For more information, go to: http://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/healthcare-professionals-commissioning-network