12 April 2006 | Paul Snell

Social care commissioning courses, which address procurement challenges unique to London, will be on offer again later this year.

Following the popularity of the programmes it ran last year, the Association of London Government (ALG) has secured £25,000 in additional funding from the London Centre for Excellence in Procurement.

The courses were planned to be repeated in 2007 but an ALG spokeswoman told supplymanagement.com that demand meant they were able to secure more funding for this year.

The ALG is also hoping to expand the range of courses. Programmes focusing on mental health and learning disabilities issues will be added to the courses on health, housing and social care.

The courses are designed to support and develop the skills of purchasers in areas of public care.

"Lots of people come into commissioning without a background. The course aims to develop a richer understanding in relationships between partners and the system," said a spokesman.

The courses will highlight the specific challenges faced by purchasers in London compared with the rest of the country.

Developing residential services for a diverse population alongside high living and property costs are two areas that need to be addressed in the capital.

Organisers hope that the courses will not only develop purchasers' own skills as a recognised professional development course, but also improve corporate efficiency.

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