I have a confession to make, I am a commissioning geek. For over a decade I've written, argued, researched, lobbied, moved words around in guidance documents, given many conference speeches, and read (and written) some of the most boring reports known to humankind in pursuit of finding out why commissioning seems hard to define, and even harder to do.
Creating the conditions for the care and supports that people need and want to flourish is the core of great commissioning. But this seemingly simple statement is doing a lot of heavy lifting! Creating those conditions requires commissioners to be polymaths - good with numbers, good with people, facilitators, analysts, market stewards, systems leaders, procurement aware and contract savvy... the list goes on!
The Scottish Government ethical commissioning and procurement principles, set out a vision of how great commissioning should happen, but we all know from experience that 'telling and telling and telling people to be good' (as my little niece would put it) doesn't work. It needs to be backed up with a plan for developing skills, knowledge and confidence to make ethical commissioning the default approach in Scotland.
Commissioners have told us they want more space to learn, develop and think through what it means to be a commissioner.
They want to:
- Figure out how to be ethical in a world of cuts and financial constraint
- Work better with people and providers to use their perspectives to properly shape commissioning
- Get beyond writing a strategy to getting things done
- Develop creative responses and ideas
- Create a recognised and distinct role for commissioning in Scotland
Does that sounds like you? If you are a social care commissioner that wants to go from good to great, our 2024-25 Ethical Commissioning Programme might be just the thing for you. Even better, thanks to generous part funding from The Scottish Government - places are free, we just ask you to commit to coming to all the sessions.
Contact my colleague Catherine.Garrod@iriss.org.uk for details ( P.S. She's even more of a commissioning geek than me...)
Taken from Dee's LinkedIn, see original post.