Quality in Health Care, Vol 7, 142-148
Health authority commissioning for quality in contraception services
M Newman, M Bardsley, D Morgan and B Jacobson
School of Health, Biological, and Environmental Sciences, Middlesex University, London, UK.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the commissioning of contraception services by London
health authorities with accepted models of good practice. DESIGN: Combined
interview and postal surveys of all health authorities and National Health
Service (NHS) trusts responsible for running family planning clinics in the
Greater London area. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health authority commissioning
was assessed on the presence of four key elements of good
practice--strategies, coordination, service specifications, and quality
standards in contracts--by monitoring activity and quality. RESULTS: Less
than half the health authorities surveyed had written strategies or service
specifications for contraception services. Arrangements for coordination of
services were limited and monitoring was underdeveloped. CONCLUSION: The
process of commissioning services for contraception seems to be relatively
underdeveloped despite the importance of health problems associated with
unplanned pregnancy in London. These findings raise questions about the
capacity of health authorities to improve the quality of these services
through the commissioning process.
Copyright © 1998 Quality in Health Care
