Delivering healthcare through collaboration – a view from the South (of the Equator)

Changes in commissioning health care services

The new changes to England’s health care structure (Health & Social Care Act 2012) will put clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in charge of commissioning healthcare services. This will also mean that other non-NHS organisations (such as third sector organisations) will be able to apply for funding to provide health care services. This creates new and innovative opportunities for NHS trusts to work in collaboration with charities and other third sector organisations.

Health care service commissioning in New Zealand

Having recently moved to the UK from New Zealand and started working with MES I have noticed the differences in the commissioning of services between the countries. District Health Boards (DHBs) are the main commissioning service within the New Zealand health care system.

There are 20 DHBs in New Zealand which all report back to and which are funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH). All DHBs have provider arms which receive funding from the DHB and provide services such as hospital based services and public health. DHBs also commission other organisations such as third sector and charity organisations, primary health organisations (PHOs) and Maori and Pacific health providers.

This structure has worked well in New Zealand. DHB’s providing funding to not for profit organisations to implement services has resulted in many collaborative projects that have used expertise from a wide range of organisations.

Successfully collaborating with non-NHS providers

Back in the UK what we can learn from the New Zealand health sector is that it is possible for NHS trusts and not for profit organisations to work together to implement meaningful healthcare programmes.

This new ability for other non-NHS organisations to provide health care services could result in challenges around organisations effectively working in collaboration. However, on the flipside of this, opportunities have now been created for NHS trusts to work effectively with third sector organisations, with each organisation providing added knowledge due to their experience.

Within the New Zealand Health care system, not for profit organisations have been involved in providing a range of health care services. In many instances they work in partnership with DHB provider arms to implement successful healthcare projects.

This could include working groups that include representatives from a range of different organisations that are all working towards a common goal, providing a forum for working group members to announce ideas for possible projects and see if other organisations would like to be involved.

An example of this is the CHANCES coalition group. This group is made up of a range of people from different organisations such as Maori and Pacific health care provider staff members, and Waikato DHB representatives; both involved in smoking cessation. This group meets monthly to share ideas on how to decrease smoking uptake. The members of this group also work together on smoking cessation projects. Recently on world smoke free day this coalition all worked together to promote and encourage smoking cessation through holding various events and talking to the community at local community areas.

The changes within England’s health care system will depend on all organisations providing health care services to work closely together to ensure a high level of service is being provided to the communities they serve.