The Thinking People Group Launches Its Clinically-Led GP Commissioning Consortia Development and Support Service Portfolio

March 7, 2011 — The Thinking People Group has launched its GP Commissioning Consortia Development and Support portfolio of services, to help pathfinders establish and realise their vision to improve their local health economies through innovation and improved clinical efficiency.

The portfolio includes a range of facilitated workshops, mentoring, tools and systems all geared around the individual needs of each consortium as they develop their strategic thinking and improve their knowledge, skills, capability and capacity to tackle the demanding organisational development and commissioning tasks ahead.

“Our products and services have been designed by highly respected clinicians, academics and consultants who have real-life experiences at every level of the NHS and fully understand the issues inherent in a modern healthcare system. We are proud to be able to offer pathfinders inspiration and insight to help them deliver their vision of indiscriminate and improved local health outcomes against a back-drop of increased austerity and demographic challenges," stated Martin Roots, Group Managing Director.

Dr. Nigel Starey, Medical Director for the Group and the driving force behind the services portfolio development, said “Consortia need to recognise why they are being formed and why they are being offered so much power. They need to recognise that they are evolving in the face of an economic cold climate, a perfect storm of economic and demographic forces and in the eye of a politically-driven imperative to transform the NHS from a paternalistic parent / child model, where patients are the passive recipients of what the system offers, to an NHS which is driven by them as the agents of the citizen – they fund the service after all – and it is that moving from a system to a service that is key. Obviously, as a healthcare-focused business transformation organisation, we can help. “

The portfolio comprises multi-level support in: 

Strategic Thinking: helping pathfinders to understand why GPs are being asked to take on this responsibility and how they should best engage with their peers; develop, articulate and disseminate their vision; and structure their organisations to drive innovation.

Organisational Development: helping pathfinders understand the leadership and skills mix required to become a first class commissioning group. With power, comes responsibility and pathfinders will have to develop and learn to work within an appropriate accountability

Framework: The Thinking People are able to help consortia understand this new governance landscape and give them the tools and skills to operate and thrive within it.

Stakeholder Management: is going to be key for new consortia as they begin to engage with their peers, providers, local authorities, governing bodies, the public, the 3rd sector and other consortia. Knowing what needs to be communicated, to whom, when and through what media is a fundamental aspect of this.

Commissioning Capability Development: Commissioning Lifecycle and Performance Management is what this is all about. Pathfinders will be responsible for understanding the health needs of their local population, deciding priorities, designing and then procuring services, shaping the structure of supply, managing capacity and demand, monitoring and managing performance, and seeking public and patient views. This will require a robust infrastructure, strong management and negotiation skills, and effective operational and risk management capabilities. The Thinking People have renowned experts available to guide pathfinders through our Commissioning Capability Maturity Model TM to ensure their organisation is ready to take on their full responsibilities within two years: guaranteed.

Improved Clinical Efficiency: Pathfinders need to improve the clinical efficiency of their local health economy, whilst maintaining ‘business as usual’ during the transition. They will need to work with consultants and professionals from across that economy to design care pathways which deliver better care for less money by linking planning to budgeting. The Thinking People have the techniques and systems to assist them to do this efficiently.