Workforce planning, transformation and commissioning

This Workforce Strategy was developed by Skills for Care in collaboration with the
adult social care sector – including people who draw on care and support. It seeks to
set out where we are now, the drivers and case for change, and where we want to
make changes to build the workforce of the future.

View the strategy for adult social care in West Sussex 2022-2025

‘The life you want to lead’ is the new strategy that sets out five priorities to guide the future development of West Sussex County Council’s adult social care services up to 2025.

This guide has been created to enable people to aspire to and know how to become a commissioner for wellbeing. It contains information useful for anyone considering a career in commissioning, as well as people who already work as a commissioner and would like to further develop their career.

Information on commissioning across NHS services.

This strategy represents ESCC asking and listening to people and jointly thinking about how they could improve adult social care for the benefit of those who draw on it, their families and carers, and for those who may need it in the future. 

This interactive seminar is designed to support workforce planning and help CQC-regulated services meet key areas of CQC assessment focus effectively. The seminar and its exclusive, customised tools will help you embed systems and processes to ensure staff are competent and supported to provide safe, effective, and person-centred care. It will mean you have fewer compliance issues during CQC assessments and help you to make financial savings.

These Pan-Sussex meetings bring together representatives from local employers and national bodies across East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton & Hove. They give employers the opportunity to contribute to strategic planning for the sector and include updates on school engagement projects, skills bootcamps, and workforce development priorities.

It’s important to continually respond to and learn from what is going well, and what isn’t going so well. This enables you to make improvements to your service and offer that benefit everyone – especially those accessing care and support.

The module is aligned to Standard 10 of the Manager Induction Standards and will cover the following 3 topics:

• Comments and complaints
• Continuous improvement
• Creating change

This course provides clinicians and managers with an in-depth exploration of healthcare leadership, policy, and practice. It blends academic research with real-world policy insights, hands-on projects, and workplace-based investigations. The programme stands out for its integration of leadership theory with modern healthcare policies, emphasising practical application, clinical expertise, and evidence-based change.

Location: University of Brighton Falmer campus, University of Sussex Falmer campus.

The Principles of Commissioning for Wellbeing level 5 qualification is centred around personalised and outcome focused approaches to commissioning designed to enable meaningful and fulfilled lives.

The course content covers a range of knowledge and its application to commissioning practice. Content is regularly updated and contextualised in terms of policy changes and so currently explores, for example, commissioning practice in the context of ICSs, reform and changes in charging policy. 

This qualification is listed in the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC’s) new Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme. It may be possible to claim up to £2,820 towards the cost of a place under this new scheme.

According to data from Skills for Care, just 8% of the adult social care workforce are under 25. This highlights both a challenge and an opportunity: how do we attract, support, and retain young people in care roles so the sector can thrive in the future?

This edition of the MILE newsletter explores ways to inspire the next generation of care professionals, from apprenticeships and skills bootcamps to practical resources on recruitment, induction, and retention.

Commissioning is the process by which health and care services are planned, purchased and monitored. Here we look at the commissioning process in more detail, the organisations involved and how it is changing.

Commissioning comprises a range of activities, including:

• assessing needs
• setting priorities
• planning services
• procuring services
• monitoring quality.

Written by Liam Sheasby – Updated 24/09/2025

This comprehensive guide explores the commissioning cycle in social care, demonstrating how strategic technology implementation can transform each stage for better outcomes. 

Guidance and tools to help both providers and commissioners to shape, commission, plan and develop the workforce.