Assurance toolkit

The commissioning assurance process is a nationally consistent system that:

- supports and develops PCTs towards world class performance the achievement of better health outcomes and the reduction of health inequalities

- holds PCTs to account for performance improvements

- rewards success

- provides a common basis for agreeing further development and enables reliable comparison of performance across all PCTs.

Following the evaluation of year 1 and having worked closely with PCTs and SHAs over the past months, the assurance process has been refined, slimmed-down and improved. This is with the aim of helping PCTs focus their time and efforts on the core activities that underpin assurance such as the strategic plan and embedding capabilities and skills, rather than on the assurance process itself. Improvements include changes to the web-based assurance toolkit – making it more user-friendly and informative. Please refer to the handbook for details on improvements made over year 1.

At the end of Year 2 of the assurance process, each PCT’s results will be published nationally by the Department of Health (DH). In addition, the results will form a part of the National Performance Framework for PCTs from April 2010.

The toolkit is the main interface that PCTs will use in completing their preparations for WCC, including submitting their documents, completing online forms and reviewing stakeholder survey response rates. The toolkit also includes the guidance, tools and templates required to support commissioning assurance and the creation of pct plans.

Contacts contains contact details of SHA superusers and help desk.

WCC Networks is a link to the World Class Commissioning support and development website – providing information on the World Class Commissioning including latest news and events

Handbook contains link for downloading the handbook.

PCTs and SHAs have access to additional areas of the website through their username and password.