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RESOLVED: Cabinet;

a)             
Approved the commencement of a competitive tender
exercise for the provision of Integrated Alcohol and Drug
Treatment, Recovery and Support Services for a period of 5 years
with the option to extend for up to a further five years, for a
maximum contract length of 10 years

b)             
Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health
in consultation with the Executive Director of Finance and Lead
Member to award the contract for the provision of this service to
the successful bidder.
 
REASONS RESOLVED:
1.    
Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, West
Northamptonshire Council as a legal responsibility to reduce health
inequalities and enhance the health and wellbeing of its residents.
This includes the commissioning of services for the treatment and
prevention of alcohol and drug use.
2.    
Alcohol and drug use remains a significant issue at
both local and national levels, with deaths due to alcohol
increasing over threefold since 2015 and drug deaths doubling in
this same time in West Northamptonshire.
3.    
The negative impact of alcohol and drug use on
individuals, families, and communities across West Northamptonshire
is wide ranging and goes beyond health impacts to impacts on crime,
safety, the economy. By commissioning these services, the Council
will directly address these challenges and work towards reducing
harm relating to alcohol and drug use.
4.    
Commissioning alcohol and drug use services as
recommended supports the Council’s goal of improving public
health outcomes, addressing its priorities to improve the life
chances of all residents, improve our towns and villages and
provide residents with value for money. It also supports delivery
of West Northamptonshire Joint Health and Wellbeing
Strategy’s objectives.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
 
·      
Option 1. Do Nothing:

Continuing without re-commissioning the service
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.
 
·      
Option 2. Re-commission the services through the
current service model: Though the
existing providers have worked hard to collaborate, integration of
services relies on the providers cooperating and developing good
working relationships outside of contractual obligations. This
opens the Council and its residents to significant risk of
receiving disjointed services in the event of a breakdown in these
relationships. Separate contracts and KPIs tend to create
conditions for adversarial relationships between
services.

 
·      
(Preferred) Option 3. Commission an integrated
service This option provides benefits in
terms of offering residents a seamless integrated offer and
provides efficiencies of scale as well as greater staffing
resilience and less risk to business continuity in face of
disruption.