Commissioner partnerships
Shared values, shared priorities
Our parent Dimensions already works with about half the local authorities in England and Wales and with many NHS commissioners.
In the West Country, Dimensions goes by the name Discovery; you’ll find us from Somerset to Cornwall. Whatever name you know us by you can expect the same standards and approach to supporting people.
We will always aim to deliver exceptional support to people with a wide range of complex support needs, helping more people to lead ordinary lives and so need us less.
Showing beats telling. So we invite you to come and see for yourself.
Commissioners and other professionals can expect:
Listening First
We believe we are always better, together.
We’ll listen to your pressures and priorities, using our long experience of working nationwide to help you commission a solution that meets your ambitions.
We want a long-term stake in your future. So we’ll strive to be a great partner for you.
An ambitious partner
We’ll excite you about people’s potential.
We’ll support people to lead true, ordinary lives.
We’ll bring you fresh thinking. We’ll show you how things are going.
If we think we can’t do something well, we’ll tell you quickly and where possible suggest a different solution.
If things go wrong
We’ll always be candid.
We’ll avoid support breakdown
Protocols and systems ensure we plan for success, minimise risk and mitigate impact if things go wrong.
Controlling costs
We work toward more people needing us less.
In some cases we’ve completely eliminated paid support needs. We use less agency because colleagues stay with us for longer and take fewer sick days.
Transparency
We’re a good financial partner that offers open book accounting as standard.
As a not-for-profit we reinvest any surplus into achieving better lives for more people.
We will not deliver support that is financially unsustainable; in the longer term this causes bigger problems for everyone. We will ask for what we need, and no more.
Values-led thinking
When we say we’re values-led, we really mean it. No tokenism.
We will consider our values of ambition, integrity, courage, respect and partnership as part of all decision-making. Colleagues tell us this is one of the things that makes us different.
Having listened to the local authority’s pressures and priorities, we proposed and piloted a “Trusted Assessor” role in Discovery.
Trusted Assessors deliver person centred reviews and planning in conjunction with the social work team, where individuals have been assessed as not requiring a full care act review.
The role is supporting the local authority to significantly reduce the review backlog that they might otherwise have experienced.
Following a trusted assessor review, a person we support said that he felt listened to, had some good goals to achieve, felt happier and talked about everything he wanted to.
Helen Orford, Managing Director, Discovery
Curious to know more? Talk to a colleague or use our referral forms
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For nearly three decades, Oliwia lived at home with her mum, Sylwia. She attended daytime activities four days a week, while her older sister also shared caring responsibilities for around 15 years – as Sylwia puts it, “like her second mum.”
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A powerful journey from lifelong barriers to newfound confidence, independence, and purpose – showing how trust, inclusion, and lived experience can transform a life and inspire hope in others.
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A dedicated, person‑centred team helped Terry transform from isolated and distressed to confident, connected, and thriving- showing the powerful impact of truly understanding and supporting an individual’s unique needs.
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Discovery’s tailored, person‑centred approach transformed a limited, anxiety‑filled routine into a richer, varied and more connected life.
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Simon’s story shows how thoughtful reflection, gradual change and truly listening helped him regain confidence, independence and his spark – revealing the humour, personality and choice that had been hidden for years.
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Mickey slowly rebuilt trust and routine with steady support. Step by step, he became more willing to attend hospital visits, work with staff, and face challenges he once avoided.
18th March 2026
18th March 2026
