Short 5 day course:

13 - 15 April, 13 - 14 May 2010

14 - 16 June 2010 and 15, 22 - 23 July 2010

Download a copy of the application form here (PDF, 1.29MB opens in a new window)

Course overview

Unlike other commissioning courses which are traditionally focused on the delivery of health and social care, this new postgraduate module in Strategic Commissioning recognises the importance for decision makers from all backgrounds and sectors to:

• Understand commissioning as a strategic activity
• Understand the critical importance of commissioner-provider relationships
• Critically question the appropriateness of structure and models in strategic commissioning
• Explore how strategic commissioning is driving change for communities, service users and staff
• Critically evaluate impact and performance within a strategic commissioning environment

Who is it for?

This course is designed to appeal to all those engaged in strategic commissioning irrespective of professional or sector background or level of expertise.

This course is open to those involved in commissioning services from public, private and third sectors including Community Safety Partnerships, Local Strategic Partnerships, Local Authority's, Health and other service providers and the voluntary sector.

It is especially valuable to managers and members who want to consolidate their knowledge and  extend their skills.

This course has grown out of INLOGOV’s longstanding experience of research and development programmes for officers, board members and politicians involved in strategic commissioning across a wide range of public service organisations. It examines the strengths and limitations of models of commissioning across levels of government, as well as in specific service sectors.

Course delivery

This course is taught over two sessions: 26-28 November 2008 and 15-16 January 2009.

Delegates can choose to have their work professionally accredited by the University of Birmingham. For those delegates taking the course as an accredited qualification, it is assessed through two practice-based assignments.

This five day programme is also available on an in-organisation basis for larger Authorities or Partnerships: For more information, contact Sue Platt: 0121 414 5002 or email s.p.platt@bham.ac.uk for more details.

Key topics

The course will deal with the following key topics (subject to alteration and development):

Day 1: Strategic Commissioning - The Policy Context

• Introduction - Agenda setting
• The policy context - Economic, social, environmental and political drivers of the commissioning agenda
• The collaborative context - From procuring in organisations to commissioning through partnerships and networks

Day 2: Planning, Developing Strategic Options and Prioritising

• The commissioning cycle
• From strategic thinking to strategic plans
• Developing strategic options at service, corporate and partnership levels
• Prioritisation methods - Achieving strategic focus

Day 3: Developing and Managing Markets for Public Services

• Analysing markets - Competitive, quasi-competitive and monopoly market characteristics
• Stimulating new market entrants and competitive behaviour
• Balancing competitive advantage and collaborative advantage in market provision
• Jigsaw management - Designing an effective service system based on high quality, focused providers
• Decommissioning services

Day 4: Integrating Commissioning and Contracting

• Legal framework for commissioning and contracting
• Moving to outcome-based commissioning and contracting
• Balancing the mix between specification-based contracts and relational contracts
• Contract management and monitoring
• Managing performance incentives and penalties

Day 5: Managing Commissioning Outcomes and Performance

• Assessing strategic performance
• Measuring outcomes, outputs and quality of service
• Partnership performance - Balanced scorecards to assess public value
• The future of strategic commissioning and contracting: More-of-the-same or more-for-less?

Convenors

Martin Willis is Director of INLOGOV and has led a range of research and consultancy projects concerned with the strategic choice and management of outcomes by local authority, voluntary and community organisations. He also chairs the National Children's Services Commissioning and Contracting Conference.

Professor Tony Bovaird is a specialist in strategic management and performance assessment in public services. He has published widely on partnership commissioning and procurement and was a member of the jury for the European Public Sector Awards 2007.

Dr Barbara Allen is a specialist in public procurement and public service commissioning. She currently manages the CLG commissioned major evaluation of the national procurement strategy and leads the teaching of our MSc in Public Service Commissioning.

The Module will also draw on the skills and experience of other members of INLOGOV staff as appropriate.

Can I use this course as part of my CPD or to access other postgraduate study?

You might wish to consider incorporating this course into your Continuing Professional Development or to make it the start of a fuller postgraduate programme (which you could develop into a Certificate, Diploma or Masters degree).Visit our postgraduate programme pages.

Fee (stand-alone basis): £970 (VAT exempt)

Plus £300 for University accreditation (if required)

Accommodation costs available on request.

Enquiries and booking

For more information or to book places on this course, Contact Jeevan Shoker: 0121 414 4980 or email g.shoker@bham.ac.uk