Manage the local health system

Effectively manage systems and work in partnership with providers to ensure contract compliance and continuous improvements in quality and outcomes.

This competency focuses on stakeholder liaison, benchmarking and monitoring and quality assurance. It covers dealing with problems with providers, including dispute processes and contract termination.

Assessing risk podcast (10 minutes)
This podcast focuses on the need for risk assessment by providers in relation to good business management and service continuity, including risks attached to contract terms and conditions and local issues such as recruitment and competition.

Helping independent social care providers to manage risk (Commissioning eBook 2006)
This paper introduces two methods of assessing risk that could prove helpful to independent sector providers and ultimately reduce risk and improve service quality and profitability.

The importance of well-worded contracts in commissioning (Commissioning eBook 2006)
This paper looks at key issues in designing well-worded and agreed clauses in contracts to facilitate good working relationships between commissioners and providers of social care, while protecting service users.

Improving performance through effective contract monitoring (Commissioning eBook 2006)
This paper explores what is meant by contract monitoring in the social care context, and how to manage poor performance, including developing a corrective action plan.

Beyond procurement: Connecting procurement practice to patients (Department of Health 2007)
This guidance on aligning equality and procurement goals looks at key stages in the procurement process, such as supplier appraisal and contract management, and outlines the legal and policy context, and the need for supplier diversity.

Commissioning assurance handbook (Department of Health 2008)
This guide explores how to measure PCTs' choice of local priority outcomes and strategic, financial and board level governance, and advises on self-assessment, self-certification, partnership feedback surveys, evidence gathering and data review.

See the Commissioning policy section for more information on the Department of Health commissioning assurance system.

Developing the NHS performance regime (Department of Health 2008)
This report looks at how PCTs can identify under-performance by providers and apply early, consistent and transparent intervention such as contractual remedies and financial sanctions.

The performance regime is intended to be introduced under the 2009/10 NHS operating framework.