This FACSIAR Evidence to Action Note supports us to understand how to involve clients in outcomes-based commissioning, and the impact this has on client outcomes.

Key points:

• Commissioning is a structured approach to the design and delivery of services that focuses on the client outcomes that need to be achieved.
• An Evidence Check was conducted to understand what the best available research evidence says about how to involve clients in outcomes-based commissioning, and the impact this has on client outcomes.
• Existing research commonly highlights the perceived benefits and challenges of engaging clients in commissioning. However, empirical evidence of the effect of this involvement is extremely limited.
• Commissioning is a young field, and it is difficult to isolate and estimate the contribution of client involvement to its outcomes. It is not that client engagement does not impact outcomes, it is just that researchers cannot say with certainty what that impact is.
• Nonetheless, the Evidence Check offers some helpful guidance about client engagement that can be used to craft relevant approaches within particular contexts.