Decision Making, Influencing and Commissioning

Why?

The VCSE sector (you) is meeting people’s needs

We want you to continue to deliver and improve your service

We want you to overcome financial restraints/increased pressures on services happening in wider environment

We want you to have a voice

You told us in the State of the Sector survey that you don’t have much opportunity to be consulted/have a voice

Ways of influencing have changed

Commissioning = outcome focused

Who are the main agencies?

North Somerset Council NHS – the Clinical

Commissioning Group (CCG); NHS England;

NHS providers such as NS Community Partnership and Avon and Wiltshire Partnership

Police and Crime Commissioner

Central Government Weston College Police Fire and Rescue West of England Local

Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

North Somerset Partnership

I&LE = Infrastructure and Local EconomyP&C = People and Communities (Health and Wellbeing; Children and Young People, Community Safety)

Decision Making and Influencing

Needs of population are assessed

E.g.:• JSNA, (Joint

Strategic Needs Assessment)

• statistics, • survey results

Make sure your statistical knowledge of needs of population is in JSNA

Contact Public Health at the council

Or ask VANS to take information forward

Decision Making and Influencing II

Strategies or policies come out of needs assessment to show how those needs will be met

Strategies are ‘co-produced’ in best practice

Respond to strategies Be involved in ‘co-production’ -

seminars, workshops etc If you are not invited, ask! Be honest and open – if it is not

going to work, say that, and why (what will work?)

Tell the decision-makers what they have missed BEFORE they move to next stage

Decision Making and Influencing III

All agencies have a responsibility to consult

Some have a duty to consult on certain things

Some might only consult at the very end of the process

Respond to consultation – separately and together

Query anything that seems unclear Ask for numbers Ask what/why/who/when/where Ask what your role is Bums on seats, events Strength in speaking up together Social media

What is commissioning?

Commissioning is the cycle of assessing the needs of people in an area, designing and then achieving appropriate outcomes

Modernising Commissioning Green Paper

Or… How local authorities (and other public bodies)

spend their money to get the best possible services (NAVCA)

What are the implications for the new world of commissioning

Issues:Different to the era of grants: commissioners now identify needs firstMore business likeEvery box has to be ticked

VCSE organisations must: Be involved in identifying needs for communities and people in order for services to be commissioned;Be open to business modelsGet prepared for bidding early onBe prepared for partnership

The Commissioning Cycle

Influence

Broker partnerships

Bid effectively

Enable providers to deliver services

effectively

Commissioning Cycle

Why should I want to be commissioned?

Now the only option – very few grants

Prevents duplication of services (eg if commissioners think they’re not being delivered)

You are the best possible provider!

You deliver social value in spades!

The main reasons to commission the voluntary sector

• Innovation • Cost efficiency • Volunteers• Absence of

stigma and threat

• Intelligence• Invest to Save• Wrap Around

services National Strategic Partnership Forum, 2007

And the little thing called the Social Value Act…

From January 2013:The commissioning authority must consider—(a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and…

(b) how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement.

Applies to public service contracts

The Social Value Act is your best weapon!

As VCSE organisations, can you demonstrate that you improve the economic, environmental and/or social wellbeing in an area?

If yes, use the Social Value act to be successfully commissioned!

If not, think about how to evidence your achievements better.

Our message

For the majority of services being commissioned… you are the IDEAL provider ….but you need to show it!

In some cases, you’ll need to work in partnership with other organisations to win larger scale contracts.

You need to build relationships as well as get good at procurement.

You need to be confident and visible.

You need to engage throughout the commissioning cycle to ensure the right services are being commissioned.

Our offer to you and what we need you to do

We will make sure commissioners know about you, your service users, your potential

We ensure that commissioners understand challenges you face

We will work with commissioners to review commissioning processes and develop a Social Value toolkit

Evidence: Complete our annual survey every yearBecome membersTell us every time you come across issues, problems and hurdlesBe prepared to collaborate Be ready, willing and able!

Partnerships- How?

When may you need cross-border partnerships?

When may you need local partnerships?

When may you need thematic partnerships (eg, CYP/Older people/Employability)?

Get ready for commissioning!

Discussion

What are the headline needs of your members or service users?

What are your experiences of influencing decision-making?

What are your experiences of commissioning OR the commissioning cycle?

What is your main message to us today?

Voluntary Action North Somerset01934 410192 The Badger Centre, Wadham Street, Weston super

Mare BS23 1JY       

www.vansweb.org.ukwww.transformnorthsomerset.org.uk