Commissioning high quality modern mental health services presents real challenges - but help is at hand for commissioners with the publication of a new guide today. ‘The Commissioning Friend for Mental Health Services' is designed to support primary care trusts and local authorities and assist them in developing their mental health commissioning practice. Download a copy
Published
jointly by Commissioning Support for London and the National Mental Health
Development Unit, the guide, which covers mental health services across
England, will act as a useful reference tool and up to date "friend" on key
issues to support commissioners to carry out their day to day work.
The
guide provides an invaluable insight into:
- key challenges for mental health commissioners
- understanding the policy and legislative framework
- personalisation - giving people more choice over services and decision making control to individual service users
- the commissioning context
- co-production, partnership and integration
- effective mental health commissioning
- measuring effectiveness
Executive Chairman of Commissioning Support for London Sarah Crowther said:
"This
guide is to help commissioners through the complexities of modern mental health
commissioning. It provides a broad summary of the key challenges facing primary
care trusts and local authorities and how they can position mental health at
the heart of their commissioning priorities. The guide will provide significant
support to primary care trusts and local authorities and help improve the provision
of mental health services in the communities they serve."
The
Commissioning Friend was first published in 2005 but the landscape has altered
so much in commissioning mental health services, a new publication was
required.
Kieron
Murphy Programme Director , Mental Health World Class Commissioning Programme, National Mental Health Development Unit said:
" The
guide provides commissioners with an important overview. It will help ensure
mental health commissioners contribute to their organization's achievement of
World Class Commissioning competencies. I also hope the guide is used as a
useful route map by primary care trusts and local authorities and as an up to
date reference tool on some of the key issues. "