Provider development and menu of care

Pilot sites had difficulties identifying services to support self management (SSM) and commissioning new ones and devised a range of local solutions.

Non-traditional providers such as voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises can provide tailor made solutions to support people with lifestyle choices, peer support and social contact to reduce isolation, and increase knowledge and confidence leading to better health outcomes.

Year of Care produced a guide Thanks for the petunias: a guide to developing and commissioning non traditional services’ (PDF 809KB) / Summary (PDF 48.3KB) to support more effective commissioning of community based services to meet the wider social self -management support needs of people with long term conditions (LTCs).  

The guide helps to address self management support for LTCs, health inequalities, personalisation and sustainable commissioning.  It includes’ top tips’, practical examples and ‘how to do it’ suggestions.

Issues addressed in the report include

• Non-traditional services (including ‘lifestyle support’) are often not seen as ‘therapeutic’ by clinicians
  
• Clinicians lack knowledge about and confidence in local services
  
• Mechanisms are not flexible enough to support multiple small providers and commissioners are inexperienced in this area
  
• How to identify, measure and feedback quality outcomes to referring teams and commissioners.
  
• Tariffs and funding issues for third sector organisations
  

The guide provides

1. A framework to demonstrate the improved outcomes and cost benefits of linking care planning to community SSM

2. A suggested commissioning model based on a lead non-traditional provider, which overcomes a majority of the barriers and issues