Commissioning Champions Project
Engaging in Commissioning
This pilot project, developed jointly with PPG members, was completed in March 2013 and has informed the development of a new N.A.P.P. resource to support PPGs, CCGs and Local Area Teams.
The PPG Commissioning Champions Project aimed to develop and test resources to support the informed and active engagement of PPGs in commissioning by increasing patient and public understanding of the new arrangements and to help build relationships between PPGs and commissioners including the Area Teams of NHS England which are responsible for commissioning Primary Care Services delivered by GPs. The outcome of the pilot was a N.A.P.P. ‘learning framework for commissioning’. An outline is available here.
The project developed and tested an empowerment and learning model which supports PPG members to become more knowledgeable and confident about the new NHS commissioning arrangements helping them to champion the effective involvement of their PPGs and PPG Networks in commissioning. By passing on their expertise, knowledge and support champions will empower other PPGs to engage and ensure that patients’ voices are at the heart of commissioning decisions.
Forty nine members of PPGs from four pilot sites in South Cheshire, Milton Keynes, North Staffordshire and Leicester City successfully completed the N.A.P.P. Commissioning Champions project in April 2013 and were awarded certificates to mark their achievement in becoming ‘champions’.
Certificates were presented by John Bewick OBE, Director of Commissioning Development from NHS England. These 49 participants using the empowerment approach are now supporting PPG Networks to engage with commissioners representing a total of 147 practices and over 1 million patients
The project evaluated extremely highly.