Stimulate the market

Effectively stimulate the market to meet demand and secure required clinical and health and well-being outcomes.

This competency is about using investment power to influence service improvement and choice through new and existing providers, and developing strategies to address gaps. Skills involved include provision analysis and monitoring.

Healthy business: A guide to social enterprise in health and social care (Social Enterprise Coalition)
This guide explains how social enterprises can deliver health and social care and issues commissioners should consider in building a social enterprise supply base, such as ensuring eligibility criteria and the tendering process are not barriers.

More for your money: A guide to procuring from social enterprises for the NHS (Social Enterprise Coalition 2006)

More for your money: A guide to procuring from social enterprises for local authorities (Social Enterprise Coalition 2006)
These guides explore reasons for contracting with social enterprises, such as better value for money, innovative solutions and knowledge of local needs, outlining ways commissioners can encourage them to compete for contracts and build a supply base.

Commissioning and the independent sector - a good practice checklist (Change Agent Team 2004)
This focuses on making relationships with independent providers effective in modernising services, providing solutions to overcome local service shortfall, involving providers in future service design and encouraging innovation and diversity.