National Assembly for Wales / Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru

Evidence from Age Cymru – RISC AI 04 / Tystiolaeth gan Age Cymru – RISC AI 04

Note for Health and Social Care Committee

Commissioning of Services

Kirsty Williams’ point:

The older person’s commissioner was quite devastating in her evidence this morning, I felt, about the inadequacies of the provision within the Bill, as it currently stands, around commissioning and the role of commissioners. I wonder whether you have any views on whether you think commissioning is adequately addressed within the Bill. I also wonder whether you have a view on whether the Bill should explicitly say that those people who are involved in commissioning and awarding contracts to private companies, then should be prevented from moving from a commissioning role to employment within one of those companies over a certain period of time. So, for instance, Ministers would have a cooling off period before they could move into a particular role, but it seems to me that there is nothing to stop somebody working in a local authority today, handing out a very valuable contract tomorrow, and then working for that company the following week.

Response from John Moore, Age Cymru

· We need to have clear guidance on commissioning, rules and standards. Commissioning is not a regulated profession and I don’t think it needs to be, but there should be a code of practice. Also, commissioning officers/ managers should be expected to work toward a relevant qualification.

· In a code of practice or even in individual contracts with officers/ managers, it could be stated that there was a clause that covered scenarios such as stated above.

· In the contract with providers, this could also be addressed. This would be harder to implement that the point above.

· Lastly, Kirsty mentions private companies. I don’t think that it should be limited to that but should cover all providers.