This website is aimed at commissioners of adult health and wellbeing services in local authorities and PCTs in the North West.

It is a way of sharing practice around the region by offering advice, case studies, summaries of national guidance, comprehensive resources sections with links to other websites, and regional contact details. The website supports joint strategic commissioning in the North West, but does not give detailed guidance on contracting. It has three sections:

• Commissioning in the North West - includes a common definition, glossary of terms and principles of commissioning endorsed by regional leadership, as well as commissioners' contact details and regional case studies.
• Commissioning practice - provides advice and guidance about commissioning, including self directed support, practice-based commissioning and strategic commissioning. This section offers commissioning models, tools, good practice guidance and materials, and signposts to other sources of help.
• National themes and guidance - summarises key national guidance and policy direction that health and wellbeing organisations need to implement, and signposts to other sources of help.

The Roadmap has been developed by the Institute of Public Care for ADASS North West, NHS North West, CSIP North West, and the Regional Director of Public Health. The leadership in the North West aim to use this website to encourage more consistent commissioning practice across the region. We would like to hear about good practice or topics which you would like to see featured in the Roadmap in the future.

We hope that this site is an easy to use, easy to understand toolkit that all commissioners in the North West can adapt for their own use. In future, we hope to expand its scope to be an interactive site that supports a regional network of commissioners, around which a range of development activities can be built.