the act of granting authority to undertake certain functions

A continuous cycle of activities that underpins and delivers on the overall strategic plan for healthcare provision and health improvement of the population. These activities include stakeholders agreeing and specifying services to be delivered over the long term through partnership working, as well as contract negotiation, target setting, providing incentives and monitoring.

Identifying health needs of local people; planning, and purchasing health services which meet their needs.

PCTs are responsible for deciding what services their local residents need from the NHS and buying these services with public money from the most appropriate providers. PCTs provide community services, in some instances commissioning specialist community services from a neighbouring PCT..

To grant the authority to carry out a particular task or active service.

the process of defining the health needs of a population, determining priorities, purchasing and monitoring appropriate services

This is the process that PCTs go through to agree health services which a provider (such as an NHS Trust) will provide for a specified sum of money. Commissioning also involves monitoring these contracts to ensure best value for money.

the review, planning and purchasing of health and social services. Commissioning is done through primary care trusts and their collaborative commissioning structure, partner agencies, health service providers and the voluntary sector.

Arrangements for the tendering, contracting, monitoring and review of providers who deliver a service.

Arranging for care or health services to be provided, either for an individual or for a group of service users.

Developing a new service, specifying the service, identifying a provider and setting terms for a contract.

Purchase of health services for patients usually by primary care trusts or other central NHS bodies.

The full set of activities that local authorities and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) undertake to make sure that services funded by them, on behalf of the public, are used to meet the needs of the individual fairly, efficiently and effectively.

The process of identifying health care needs of the local population and finding services to meet them

the authority to purchase goods and services for patients from a range of different providers in the public, private or voluntary sector. For example a PCT may 'commission' palliative care services in its area.

The term 'commissioning' means the way that the local authority and health authority plan, organise and buy services for the community.

The procedure by which a completed building or manufacturing/industrial process is tested and certified to be in operable condition (the condition is rendered by the plan and design function).

The National Conference on Building Commissioning has established an official definition of 'Total Building Commissioning' as follows: "Systematic process of assuring by verification and documentation, from the design stage to a minimum of one year after construction, that all facility systems perform interactively in accordance with the design documentation and intent, and in accordance with the owner's operational needs, including preparation of operation personnel"

Start-up of a building that includes testing and adjusting HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other systems to assure proper functioning and adherence to design criteria. Commissioning also includes the instruction of building representatives in the use of the building systems.

series of processes and procedures undertaken in order to start operations of a gas pipeline, associated plants and equipment.

Commissioning of building systems is a systematic process to ensure that all the building systems perform interactively according to the contract documents, the design intent and the owners operational needs. Commissioning maximizes energy efficiency thus minimizing environmental impacts associated with energy production and consumption.