Agenda item

Briefing Note and Report of the Director of Public Wellbeing and Health

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, which would be considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 16 April, and which indicated that the Council is responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services. The current contract for this service is due to expire in March 2025.

National policy in relation to drug and alcohol treatment has changed significantly with the launch of the new Drug Strategy “From Harm to Hope” which reinforces the Government’s ambition to rebuild treatment services following a decade of disinvestment. The report included a summary of the health needs in Coventry related to drug and alcohol misuse, a summary of the engagement and consultation work carried out and the planned process for re-procurement of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services. The report indicated that people misusing drugs and alcohol are among the most vulnerable and socially excluded populations and the contract will directly lead efforts to reduce health inequalities and prioritise engagement with communities affected by addiction.

The report proposed reprocurement of services via an open tendering process and summarised some of the funding stream relevant to the procurement. 

The Committee also received a presentation in the private relating to the commercially sensitive aspects of the current contract (Minute 61 below refers)

The Committee asked questions, raised concerns and received assurances in relation to a number of issues including:-

  •  Details of the procurement process and length of contract

•  Value of the new contract compared to the current contract

•  Whether the resources in the new contract were sufficient to meet current demand

•  Whether the new contract would bring an improvement in performance, what would be done differently to what has been done before

•  The consultation process and steps taken to engage service users, as well as the on-going dialogue with service users, which forms part of the contract requirements

•  Performance data, how Coventry was performing compared to national data, including drug related deaths

•  How performance was managed as part of the contract including regular formal and informal meetings, the monitoring of data, KPI’s and powers to manage poor performance.

•  The wider causes of addiction and prevention and a request for scrutiny to be updated on progress on the Drug and Alcohol Strategy

•  The links with mental health services and how different services were working in partnership, including joint training and joint service meetings

RESOLVED that Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee:-

1)  Support the recommendations to Cabinet as detailed in the report with the following additional recommendation:-

2)  That Cabinet’s attention is drawn to the following recommendations made to officers:-

  i.  That officers consider ways of assuring the consultation process and continue to consult throughout the term of the contract.

  ii.  That officers provide information detailing how the new contract will improve performance, specifically in terms of opiate users >6 years opiate treatment

  iii.  That the new contract ensures that there is capacity to undertake new and innovative approaches

  iv.  That officers investigate how best to get feedback from GP’s on the effectiveness of treatment

  v.  That officers ensure that data is collected on repeat attendances on treatment programmes