What is a healthcare commissioner?
A healthcare commissioner, also known as a Commissioning Entity, is a group that buys health services based on evidence of need and service effectiveness and on local input on needs and priorities.
Commissioning can be done by a range of entities including private providers, government services, not-for-profits and other non-government bodies.
Progress on delivery will be monitored to make sure services do a good job at delivering outcomes for the local population.
What is community controlled commissioning?
Healthcare services should be responsive to the needs that are important to the community. Community controlled healthcare commissioning is about partnering and engaging the community to plan and fund the delivery of health services, that meet the needs and priorities of local communities.
The TORCH entity will be community controlled, which means that communities will have more control on where and how the services are commissioned in the region in all aspects of the commissioning approach, with accountability back to the community.
It means that instead of governments deciding on the purchasing of services, the community decides!
Community-controlled commissioning is:
- Place-based – driven by local need and priorities.
- A long-term commitment to coordinated regional health planning and delivery funding.
- A way to improve integration of health services in a region.
- A way for more self-determination.
- Granting authority to local leaders to make key decisions about health services.
Community-controlled commissioning is not:
- A health service like your local clinic or hospital.
- A quick fix or instant change.
- Reducing the role of current community voices and services, such as local Community Controlled health services and health groups.
- Local voting or decision-making for how every dollar is spent in the region.
Last updated: May 2024