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CA4 Draw up specifications for substance misuse services

Overview

This standard is about drawing up detailed specifications of the substance misuse services being commissioned in order to allow providers to produce accurately-costed tenders.  It includes gathering and analysing existing information on procuring substance misuse services and developing specifications for substance misuse 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. how to assess what is good about existing documentation and ways in which it could be improved
  2. how to write complex material clearly and concisely
  3. the importance of keeping people informed about developments and changes to activities and plans, and how to do so
  4. how to enlist the support of colleagues and other partners to help overcome problems
  5. the importance of providing appropriate opportunities for colleagues and partner agencies to contribute to specifying substance misuse services, and how to do so
  6. the importance of gathering full and accurate information and how to do so
  7. legal requirements relevant to the functions being carried out
  8. the partner agencies in the local area
  9. ways of monitoring and evaluating objectives and levels of service effectively
  10. organisational requirements relevant to the functions being carried out
  11. what service specifications, tender documents and contracts should contain
  12. how to develop service specifications, tender documents and contracts
  13. the level of detail providers need to be able to produce an accurately-costed tender
  14. national substance misuse policies and priorities
  15. recognised good practice in commissioning and delivering substance misuse services
  16. the range of substance misuse services
  17. local substance misuse strategies and plans

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

  1. gather relevant information from your own and partner agencies on procuring substance misuse services
  2. enlist the support of colleagues and other partners to help overcome any problems in obtaining relevant information
  3. analyse existing service specifications, tender documentation and contracts
  4. identify what is good about existing service specifications, tender documentation and contracts and ways in which these could be improved
  5. identify national good practice in commissioning and delivering substance misuse services.
  6. provide appropriate opportunities for colleagues and partner agencies to contribute to developing specifications for substance misuse services
  7. draw up specifications for the different substance misuse services you are responsible for commissioning in line with the agreed local substance misuse strategy and plans
  8. inform partner agencies promptly about any deviation from plans for commissioning services
  9. ensure your specifications are clear and provide sufficient detail for providers to produce an accurately-costed tender
  10. ensure your specifications clearly state the aims and objectives of services and the level of service required
  11. ensure your specifications clearly state how the objectives of services and the level of service will be monitored and evaluated
  12. ensure your specifications reflect recognised good practice in commissioning and delivering substance misuse services
  13. ensure your specifications meet organisational and legal requirements

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: G3 Procurement and commissioning
CA4 Draw up specifications for substance misuse services
Final version approved June 2010 © copyright Skills For Health,
For competence management tools visit tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk