February 2025
Our most recent knowledge exchange webinar was attended by IPC Commissioning Certificate Alumni Network and members of staff working in our Academic Partnership local authorities. The webinar was an opportunity for attendees to share their knowledge and experiences around whole-system commissioning, with a focus on the skills and behaviours needed to achieve collaborative commissioning practice.
The webinar began with an introduction by Amy Harmsworth, IPC Senior Consultant, on strategic collaborative commissioning. Amy presented findings from IPC’s work with the Local Government Association (LGA) and Better Care Fund, which identified 4 key enablers that support systems to plan and commission collaboratively:
- Collaborative Strategic Relationships
- Collaborative Co-production of Support and Interventions
- Collective sharing of both risks and achievements
- Collaborative and creative allocation of resources
Attendees shared their thoughts on obstacles for successful collaborative commissioning arrangements, and what skills and behaviours are needed. Then in small groups everyone shared their experiences and some of the key reflections were:
- Commissioners need to have a wide range of skills to enable strategic collaborative commissioning to work, including project management skills, perseverance, negotiation skills, adaptability and system thinking
- Collaborative commissioning requires strong relationships to be built, which can be difficult with staff turnover and frequent restructures (internally and in other organisations e.g. ICBs)
- Often partners come together with enthusiasm about working together, but it is hard to maintain the momentum and conversations can fizzle out
- It is vital that partners have the same aims and ambitions, which can be supported by good strategy setting
- Internal training in good practice and time for commissioning teams can help staff to ensure they are consistent in their approach to collaborative commissioning
- Regular meetings with all those involved in a partnership and being open to challenge from others can mitigate challenges of collaborative commissioning.
The webinar was a great opportunity for individuals working in commissioning across the country, to share their experiences and reflect on what their teams need to consider when building strategic collaborative commissioning arrangements.
One attendee said the following about the webinar:
“Excellent session. Good for networking and opening my eyes up to more collaborative commissioning arrangements”
Look out for our 2025 schedule of IPC knowledge exchange webinars for alumni and academic partners.
