Decision Making, Influencing and Commissioning

1. Decision Making, Influencing and Commissioning

2. Why? • The VCSE sector (you) is meeting people’s needs • We want you to continue to deliver and improve your service • We want you to overcome financial restraints/increased pressures on services happening in wider environment • We want you to have a voice • You told us in the State of the Sector survey that you don’t have much opportunity to be consulted/have a voice • Ways of influencing have changed • Commissioning = outcome focused

3. Who are the main agencies? • North Somerset Council • NHS – the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG); NHS England; • NHS providers such as NS Community Partnership and Avon and Wiltshire Partnership • Police and Crime Commissioner • Central Government • Weston College • Police • Fire and Rescue • West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

4. North Somerset Partnership I&LE = Infrastructure and Local Economy P&C = People and Communities (Health and Wellbeing; Children and Young People, Community Safety)

6. Decision Making and Influencing • Needs of population are assessed • E.g.: • JSNA, (Joint Strategic Needs Assessment) • statistics, • survey results • Make sure your statistical knowledge of needs of population is in JSNA • Contact Public Health at the council • Or ask VANS to take information forward

7. Decision Making and Influencing II • Strategies or policies come out of needs assessment to show how those needs will be met • Strategies are ‘co-produced’ in best practice • Respond to strategies • Be involved in ‘co-production’ - seminars, workshops etc • If you are not invited, ask! • Be honest and open – if it is not going to work, say that, and why (what will work?) • Tell the decision-makers what they have missed BEFORE they move to next stage

8. Decision Making and Influencing III • All agencies have a responsibility to consult • Some have a duty to consult on certain things • Some might only consult at the very end of the process • Respond to consultation – separately and together • Query anything that seems unclear • Ask for numbers • Ask what/why/who/when/where • Ask what your role is • Bums on seats, events • Strength in speaking up together • Social media

9. What is commissioning? Commissioning is the cycle of assessing the needs of people in an area, designing and then achieving appropriate outcomes Modernising Commissioning Green Paper Or… How local authorities (and other public bodies) spend their money to get the best possible services (NAVCA)

10. What are the implications for the new world of commissioning Issues: • Different to the era of grants: commissioners now identify needs first • More business like • Every box has to be ticked VCSE organisations must: • Be involved in identifying needs for communities and people in order for services to be commissioned; • Be open to business models • Get prepared for bidding early on • Be prepared for partnership

11. The Commissioning Cycle Influence Commissioning Cycle Enable providers to deliver services effectively Broker partnerships Bid effectively

12. Why should I want to be commissioned? • Now the only option – very few grants • Prevents duplication of services (eg if commissioners think they’re not being delivered) • You are the best possible provider! • You deliver social value in spades!

13. The main reasons to commission the voluntary sector • Innovation • Cost efficiency • Volunteers • Absence of stigma and threat • Intelligence • Invest to Save • Wrap Around services National Strategic Partnership Forum, 2007

14. And the little thing called the Social Value Act… From January 2013: • The commissioning authority must consider—(a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and… • (b) how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement. • Applies to public service contracts

15. The Social Value Act is your best weapon! • As VCSE organisations, can you demonstrate that you improve the economic, environmental and/or social wellbeing in an area? • If yes, use the Social Value act to be successfully commissioned! • If not, think about how to evidence your achievements better.

16. Our message For the majority of services being commissioned… you are the IDEAL provider ….but you need to show it! • In some cases, you’ll need to work in partnership with other organisations to win larger scale contracts. • You need to build relationships as well as get good at procurement. • You need to be confident and visible. • You need to engage throughout the commissioning cycle to ensure the right services are being commissioned.

17. Our offer to you and what we need you to do • We will make sure commissioners know about you, your service users, your potential • We ensure that commissioners understand challenges you face • We will work with commissioners to review commissioning processes and develop a Social Value toolkit Evidence: • Complete our annual survey every year • Become members • Tell us every time you come across issues, problems and hurdles • Be prepared to collaborate • Be ready, willing and able!

18. Partnerships- How? • When may you need cross-border partnerships? • When may you need local partnerships? • When may you need thematic partnerships (eg, CYP/Older people/Employability)? Get ready for commissioning!

19. Discussion • What are the headline needs of your members or service users? • What are your experiences of influencing decision-making? • What are your experiences of commissioning OR the commissioning cycle? • What is your main message to us today?

20. Voluntary Action North Somerset01934 410192 The Badger Centre, Wadham Street, Weston super Mare BS23 1JY      www.vansweb.org.ukwww.transformnorthsomerset.org.uk