The Commissioning Process in the NHS: The theory and application.

This article explores the commissioning process introduced into the NHS in 1991. Its purpose is to consider the relevance of this experience for future commissioning structures. In particular the implementation of Changing Childbirth (Department of Health 1993) is discussed as an illustration of the commissioning process in action. The article is informed by empirical data gathered from four research sites within the NHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]