GEN53 Support the development of strategies to meet local needs for health care services

Overview

This standard is about contributing to the development and review of the local health care strategy by supporting the development of strategies to meet local needs for health care services. There are many statutory agencies - as well as referrers, providers etc - involved in the commissioning of health care services. It is important that all partners support the overall local strategy and are clear about their individual roles and responsibilities for commissioning specific services. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. The importance of involving relevant people in the development and review of strategies and plans and how to do so
2. Opportunities that may arise to communicate strategies and plans to interested parties, and how to take advantage of these
3. How to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
4. The rights of individuals to equal access to health care services
5. The range of key stakeholders in the local area
6. The partner agencies in the local area
7. Local health needs assessments and priorities
8. The range of health care services available for your area of practice
9. Recognised good practice in developing and reviewing strategies and plans to meet local needs for health care services
10. Your own role and the limits of your responsibility and authority
11. Your agency’s role within the local health care partnership
12. The range of services which you and your agency are responsible for commissioning
13. National health care policies and priorities
14. The importance of agreed vision, values and decision-making framework to developing a strategic partnership, and how to work towards this agreement
15. How to contribute to the development, review and evaluation of strategies in ways designed to enhance and improve these strategies

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. involve key stakeholders appropriately in the development of the local health care strategy
2. agree with partner agencies the contribution that you and your agency should make to the development of the local health care strategy
3. make appropriate contributions to defining the vision, values and decision-making framework which guide the local health care strategy
4. ensure the local health care strategy:
1. is based on local priorities determined as a result of full and comprehensive needs assessments
2. takes into account national health care policies and priorities
3. reflects the diversity of the local population and the rights of individuals to equal access to health care services
4. defines the roles of partner agencies and provides sufficient detail to allow them to develop their commissioning plans
5. communicate the local health care strategy to people within your agency and to other interested parties

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: Core 4 Service Improvement This standard has replaced DANOS CA2.