Commissioning in a cold climate, published on day two of the NHS Confederation annual conference and exhibition (11 June), looks at how commissioners can respond to the big challenges in the coming years.
It says policy makers will need to ensure commissioners have the right tools to deliver the scale of change required. Payment by results and the current standard NHS and GP contracts will need to be reviewed to ensure they are designed to drive efficiency and productivity.
It highlights a number of ways in which commissioners can improve quality in the NHS by driving efficiency and productivity through best practice, reducing the prices of services and volumes of activity, and looking at cheaper, high quality options available.
PCT Network director David Stout said: “The economic downturn makes effective commissioning more important than ever.
“Responses from PCTs in a snapshot poll of NHS Confederation members found that commissioners feel confident they can meet the financial challenges that lie ahead.
“Policy makers, commissioners and clinical staff all have a part to play in making sure that standards of care do not drop as financial constraints loom.”
View the paper.