Purpose

To approve the proposed commissioning approach
for Substance Misuse services starting 1.4.26 and delegate
authority to undertake procurement and award the contract

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 
That the Executive:

(a)     
Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health
& Wellbeing in consultation with the Executive Member for
Adults, Health and Wellbeing to commission substance misuse
services for North Northamptonshire Council.
 

(b)     
Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health
& Wellbeing in consultation with the Executive Member for
Adults, Health and Wellbeing to undertake a thorough and structured
commissioning process, undertaking all necessary steps to establish
contracted services that are both robust and effective in
addressing substance misuse and related issues.
 
 
Reasons for Recommendations:

Statutory Duty: North Northamptonshire Council has a statutory
responsibility under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to reduce
health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of its
residents. This includes commissioning services for the treatment
and prevention of substance misuse. Fulfilling this duty requires
the continuation of effective and accessible Substance Misuse
services.

Prevalence of Substance Misuse: Drug and alcohol misuse remains
a significant issue both locally and nationally. The latest data
indicates that substance misuse continues to have a detrimental
impact on the health, wellbeing, and safety of individuals,
families, and communities within North Northamptonshire.
Commissioning these services will directly address these challenges
and contribute to reducing substance-related harm.
 
Improving Public Health Outcomes: The commissioning of Substance
Misuse services will support the Council’s commitment to
improving public health outcomes and reducing the burden on local
healthcare services, including accident and emergency departments
and mental health services.
 
Effective Service Delivery: By commissioning services well ahead
of 1st April 2026 start date, the Council can ensure
that the new contracts will be in place in a timely manner,
avoiding any service disruption and ensuring continuity of care for
vulnerable individuals.
 
 
Alternative Options
Considered:

Do
Nothing: Continuing without re-commissioning the service was
considered, but this option would result in a service gap from
April 2026, which could adversely affect service users, and the
council would be in breach of its statutory
responsibilities.
 
Continue Shared Services with West Northamptonshire Council:
This option was considered but decided against. The process of
disaggregating services was agreed at Shared Services Joint
Committee on 23rd October 2024
 
In-House Provision: The possibility of bringing the services
in-house was reviewed, but external commissioning was deemed more
cost-effective and allowed access to specialist
providers.