Developing an ’Outcomes Based’ Commissioning Approach (Birmingham)

The Children and Young People's Board in Birmingham has agreed a common approach to achieving better outcomes for children and young people, which has at its core an assessment of need and a commitment to using logic modelling and evidence based service design. The Board has, in partnership with Dartington-i, committed to an outcomes based commissioning process that begins by identifying the outcomes desired for the children and young people of Birmingham, and then determines the investment strategies and services required to achieve those outcomes.                       

A key feature of the approach is that a whole range of evidence will be available to support the re-design or decommissioning of a service. This approach is more likely to result in efficient commissioning of effective services, with less likelihood of service duplication because of its evidence base. In addition, the approach works to develop shared responsibility amongst partners for outcomes for Birmingham's children.

The case study includes:

• Establishment of the leadership group consisting of 30 leaders responsible for the agencies delivering services in Birmingham
• Synthesis of national policy drivers
• Use of epidemiological as well as service specific needs analyses
• Simple audit tool for mapping commissioning activity
• Methodology for the completion of a high level investment plan
• Partnership with Dartington-i