Commissioning for better health outcomes

Our vision is to commission for better health outcomes for people and communities who face barriers to accessing quality health care and experience ongoing poor health outcomes.

WA Primary Health Alliance is undertaking a number of activities to strengthen the way we perform our commissioning function across the entire commissioning lifecycle. The program of change will allow us to meet the evolving needs of our funder, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and will run through to June 2026. 

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Why are we making these changes?

The Australian National Audit Office Effectiveness of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s Performance Management of Primary Health Networks recommendations, along with the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Strengthening Medicare Reform Agenda, are seeking improvements to how all Primary Health Network’s (PHN) commission health services, monitor and evaluate performance and report on outcomes achieved (value and impact – ultimately focused on health equity).

WAPHA endeavours to respond in a way that supports these directions, builds capability and capacity across the PHN network, and increasingly focuses on delivering value through all activities.

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For more information please email: CBH@wapha.org.au  

What are the benefits?

  • Services are designed and delivered in line with our priorities and community needs, supported by clear contractual specifications and outcome-focused KPIs.
  • Commissioned services are responsive, equitable, and culturally competent.
  • The commissioning approach embeds fairness, transparency, and collaboration at every stage.
  • Robust evaluation and KPI tracking provide meaningful insights into outcomes achieved, enabling continuous improvement and benefits realisation.
                What's included?

                The Commissioning for Better Health Outcomes project operates across three streams of work
                (click on each to expand):

                Commissioning Process & Standards

                Creating clear and consistent workflows, policies and templates for service planning, procurement and evaluation, to support improved governance, efficiency and stakeholder engagement. Key outcomes include:

                The intended outcomes of this work stream are:

                 

                For Commissioned Service Providers 

                • Report higher trust and credibility in WAPHAs commissioning processes during contract review meetings. 
                • Greater number of and diversity with appropriate suppliers responding to WAPHA Tenders. 
                • Fewer provider enquiries or reported issues when applying for or being awarded a WAPHA contract. 
                • Recognise WAPHA’s commitment to transparency, equity, and quality in commissioning  
                • Feel WAPHAs procurement is inclusive, competitive and encourages increased supplier diversity 


                For WAPHA Executive 

                Stronger Compliance & Governance 

                • Improved system-based reporting on and greater confidence in WAPHA’s capability to ensure all commissioning activities adhere to the relevant legal, ethical and regulatory standards (ISO, QIC, Privacy, Qualifications). 
                • Demonstrate stronger compliance through clear audit trails for commissioning activity that can be evidenced by use of standardised templates and system-based approval workflows 
                • Demonstrated alignment of procurement activities with strategic priorities and funding schedules. 

                Improved Strategic Visibility & Informed Decision Making 

                • Data-driven insights from procurement and commissioning workflows inform future investment and resource allocation. 
                • Improved forecasting and planning capabilities support long-term sustainability and responsiveness to community needs. 
                • Improved visibility into financial carryovers, contract execution timelines, and supplier engagement levels. 
                • Greater ability to monitor strategic alignment of commissioning with WAPHA’s health priorities and funding objectives. 
                • Enhanced visibility of commissioning activities across the organisation via dashboards and real-time reporting. 

                Reduced Organisational Risk 

                • Updated delegations of authority and standarised processes reduce exposure to compliance and operational risks. 
                • Fewer service provider complaints and enquiries indicate improved stakeholder satisfaction and reduced reputational risk. 
                • Reduction in manual approvals and briefing notes (BNs) as system workflows automate delegation and sign-off processes 

                Improved Operational Efficiency 

                • Reduction in delays across the contract lifecycle (execution, renewal, performance tracking). 
                • Streamlined workflows reduce administrative burden and improve turnaround times. 
                • Fewer service provider enquiries and complaints due to clearer processes and documentation. 


                For WAPHA Employees                 

                • WAPHA employees can better articulate and demonstrate how employee roles, organisational processes and artifacts drive our commissioning cycle.  
                • Report a strengthened internal culture of accountability and clarity in commissioning activity 
                • Report better understanding of the inputs and outputs their job role is expected to deliver when undertaking commissioning activity. 
                • Report reduced friction and better internal collaboration in delivering commissioning activities.  
                • Report greater ease in accessing commissioning guidance and using the suite of tools and templates created for the process and standards project.  
                • Report easier access to and better understanding of the specific aspects and requirements that apply for each of our programs and activities. 
                • Report purchase approval requests have greater transparency, are easier to process, and experience fewer purchase rejections. 
                • Report faster turnaround times as a result of reduced delays in approvals and clearer decision-making. 
                • Report less errors in commissioning documentation by removing manual mistakes and miscommunication. 
                  Commissioning Systems and Applications

                  Modernising WAPHA’s commissioning infrastructure by introducing a range of tools and upgrades. This workstream aims to provide an improved user experience for service providers and staff through streamlined integration, real-time reporting and enhanced training and support.

                  Intended outcomes of this work stream include:

                  For Commissioned Service Providers 

                  • Commissioned Service Providers (CSPs) are successfully registering and navigating the ASPIRE Supplier Portal with minimal friction and support. 
                  • An increased number of CSPs are registering for and confidently using the tender portal, contributing to a more transparent procurement process. 
                  • Commissioned service providers and contract managers have an improved shared understanding of CSP progress against contractual deliverables using ASPIRE. 

                   

                  For WAPHA Employees 

                  • All commissioning pipeline activities are traceable and auditable through system logs and reports, supporting compliance requirements. 
                  • Activities requiring procurement can be tracked and reported in near real-time, with visibility into status, financial value, ownership and next actions. 
                  • Activity budget holders are confident and capable in submitting procurement requests through the JSM Commissioning Pipeline, with minimal support required. 
                  • Procurement and commissioning data is accurate, complete, and consistently maintained, supporting better decision-making and compliance. 
                  • Activity budget holders can view and utilise program budgets for operational and commissioning expenditure in ASPIRE. 
                  • Activity budget holders have a greater clarity and trust in understanding and approving requests for funding in ASPIRE. 
                  • Contract Managers can demonstrate CSP progress against contract deliverables in ASPIRE with greater confidence and ease.  
                  • Key stakeholders report increased satisfaction with the commissioning process, citing improved transparency, responsiveness, and usability. 
                  • Users across procurement, and finance demonstrate strong adoption of new systems and processes, supported by targeted training and change management. 
                  • End-to-end workflows are standardised and digitised, reducing manual effort and improving process efficiency. 
                  • System ownership, administration, and enhancement processes are transitioned to BAU teams with clear roles, responsibilities, and documentation. 
                  • Commissioning data is securely stored within PHI systems and custom reports can be created and maintained internally without reliance on external vendors. 
                  Program Operations

                  Establishing a dedicated Program Operations function, refining commissioning processes and robust governance and performance management frameworks. This work stream focuses on improving cross-portfolio collaboration within WAPHA and enhancing operational clarity.

                  Intended outcomes of this work stream include:

                  For Commissioned Service Providers 

                  • CSPs demonstrate greater understanding of and adherence to WAPHA frameworks that guide the delivery of data informed, inclusive culturally competent, outcomes driven commissioning in Western Australia. 
                  • CSPs and WAPHA have a higher degree of shared understanding of performance expectations and desired outcomes for services contracted within a commissioning program that enables performance issues to be identified earlier and remediated faster with less frustration. 
                  • CSPs report that WAPHAs funded activities are considered evidence informed, contemporary, reflect consumer needs and delivery requirements are clearly detailed. 
                  • CSPs report greater consistency in monitoring and evaluation of commissioning programs across providers and contracts.  
                  • CSPs report a higher degree of satisfaction with the detail and clarity of the program performance expectations and activity criteria supporting the FY27 procurement process. 
                  • A greater number of CSPs capable of delivering eligible services within commissioning programs apply for WAPHA funded activities.
                  • >95% of contracted services meet the data quality standards during each reporting cycle of their contract in FY25/26.
                  • >95% of contracted service will report they meet the cultural competency standards set by WAPHA for each reporting cycle of their contract in FY27. 
                  • CSPs view WAPHA as a respected and effective commissioner of primary health care services within Western Australia.

                  For WAPHA Executive

                  • Executive can demonstrate to the Board and DHDA that <10% of funds received for commissioning programs are unacquitted within the contractual period. 
                  • Executive can demonstrate to the Board, DHDA and service providers that 75% of program funds were awarded within 22 weeks of receipt of signed funding agreements. 
                  • Executive report a greater degree of confidence in the process and outputs that underpins the planning stage of the commissioning cycle. 
                  • Executive report greater confidence in understanding resource requirements and managing resource allocation decisions to support the delivery of WAPHA commissioning programs. 
                  • Executive will advise that the operations governance model provides them with better access to and greater transparency on WAPHAs commissioning program objectives, scope of activities and near real time performance. 
                  • Executive will report more confidence in determining the actual and future cost implications of delivering commissioning programs by activity. ?? 

                  For WAPHA Employees 

                  • WAPHA employees feel confident in accessing information about WAPHAs suite of commission programs, approved activities, service types and performance metrics associated with each program.  
                  • WAPHA employees will report greater capability in communicating WAPHA’s frameworks, program objectives, funded activities and performance expectations with commissioned service providers, general practices, peak bodies and key regional stakeholders. 
                  • WAPHA employees report greater collaboration and satisfaction between portfolio teams during the planning, procuring and evaluation phases of a commissioning program. 
                  • WAPHA employees report greater clarity in the responsibilities, expectations and outputs of their role within a commissioning program in the planning, procuring and evaluation of health services in Western Australia. 
                  • WAPHA employees report better capability to record and communicate quality improvement feedback and suggestions raised by internal and external stakeholders that supports better program planning. 
                  • 10% reduction in the number of employees reporting challenges with role clarity and/or role duplication during probation and/or exit interviews. 
                  Disclaimer

                  While the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.

                  PWD