Across the country councils are changing their role in service provision to become strategic commissioners. One of the meaty topics to be tackled at the 2013 Solace Summit taking place in York from 9 to 11 October will be the role of the chief executive and top team in commissioning, and how organisations change to reflect this new world. Experts speaking on this subject will include Eric Bohl, Director of Public Services at Activist Group, who previously held a number of senior roles in local government. This week he told Solace: "Given the scale of financial pressures facing local authorities, commissioning is becoming standard practice. It is important to spell out the precise role of chief executives and senior executives in making the commissioning process most effective.
"Solace's guide to commissioning – 'When The Salami's Gone' – makes it clear that given the size of the cuts needed we are not going to be able to go on finding savings by trimming away. We need to look more fundamentally at how we are going to get through this. There is a risk that people rush to a solution – outsourcing, sharing, closing services – before thinking about what it is they want to achieve.
"The Solace guide is full of valuable ideas and helpful concepts in and around the field of commissioning. We need not just to think about the best way to source and deliver, but to challenge organisations to think through and re-think policy. You cannot cut effectively unless you know what you are trying to achieve on behalf of local communities. It is vital to understand what needs and assets there are in communities, and to consult and engage with them.
Individuals need to engage in change management and think carefully about how they talk to people and what they talk about. If change is radical, involve the people most affected, and know what is possible.
"Chief executives and senior executives have a number of key roles in the commissioning process. First of all, make sure that the scope of the project is set appropriately from the outset. For example if you say you want a review of leisure services, you will end up with a service review and miss the opportunity for innovation. If you say instead that you want to find the best way to encourage people in the community to have a chance to manage their own health effectively, to exercise and to socialise, you will have a much more challenging and innovative conversation and a broader impact. You have to make sure the commissioning process is not the same old same old, but provides opportunities for challenge. Make sure too that the right people are involved in the process of engagement.
"Chief executives and senior executives – and members - are often disappointed at the outcome of commissioning projects. The 'needs analysis' quickly becomes the 'plan', there is no innovation, and they end up with the same old solution, perhaps slightly cheaper. Chief executives, senior managers and politicians must create the space for innovation by building into the commissioning process both the time to explore and capture new ideas and the expectation that this should happen.
"Another key role for them is to make sure commissioning projects are proportionate: don't get lost in the details, be sure to maintain momentum. It is important to be thorough and innovative but not slow. Budget pressures are huge and given the enormity of the problem it is tempting to risk a slash-and-burn approach, but this is not realistic and will unravel politically. A process that is more thoughtful and engaging and allows innovation is far more likely to stick and result in recommendations and decisions that are implemented and are sustainable.
"Finally, we need to make sure we are sharing the language of commissioning: there is no point in re-inventing the wheel. The standard language and approach makes it easier to work with partners because when the commissioning cycle starts, everyone knows what is involved in each part of the process. Solace is keen to champion and encourage people to take part in the Commissioning Academy. We can all see the benefits of sharing learning and developing a shared understanding of what commissioning means."
To find out more about the 2013 Solace Summit go to www.solace.org.uk
