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Agenda item

Substance Misuse Service Provision in Bridgend County Borough

Minutes:

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported on an update of the work to transition substance misuse services from the former Western Bay Area Planning Board into Cwm Taf Morgannwg Area Planning Board. 

 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Cabinet that Area Planning Boards (APB) were set up by the Welsh Government in 2010 to provide a regional framework to strengthen partnership working and strategic leadership in the delivery of the substance misuse strategy; enhance and improve the key functions of planning, commissioning and performance management.  The Cwm Taf Morgannwg APB is a multi-agency Board, accountable to the Public Services Board in respect of all its activities.  She stated that most substance misuse services are funded through two Welsh Government funding streams, the Substance Misuse Action Fund (SMAF): £4M and the Local Health Board ring-fenced substance misuse allocation: £3.5M, with RCTCBC being the nominated banker, which also employ a small commissioning team to engage with partners to coordinate the required functions of the APB.  The team is managed by a Substance Misuse Lead Officer. 

 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that as part of a process of modernisation to respond to changes in legislation and

service user need, the Cwm Taf APB commissioned consultants, Health and Social Research (HSR), to carry out a review of substance misuse service provision in RCTCBC and Merthyr Tydfil, and to develop a model of service.  The new integrated service commenced on 1 April 2019.  Following the health board boundary change in April 2019, HSR were asked to carry out a needs assessment specifically for the Bridgend area.

 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that Tier 3 services will be commissioned and provided by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.  Tier 1 and 2 treatment and support services will be recommissioned and a new integrated service with one provider appointed.  Development of the procurement process commenced in March 2021, with the tender anticipated to be published on 1 October 2021, with the new service scheduled to commence on 1 April 2022.  A contract would be awarded for two years with an option to extend for a further one plus one year to coincide with the Cwm Taf contract.  RCTCBC, will continue as nominated banker and grant recipient and employer of the regional commissioning team for the APB, and will undertake the procurement process through the regional commissioning team.  A collaboration agreement would be negotiated and agreed between BCBC and RCTCBC to govern their respective roles and responsibilities during the procurement process and setting out how the parties will collaborate to oversee the delivery of the service.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing outlined the components of the new service, which would be person centred and focused on improving outcomes for people and provide a consistent approach to the provision of substance misuse services.   

 

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help in commending the report stated that providing that Tiers 1 and 2 treatment services are put in place, this would lessen the demand on Tiers 3 and 4.  She stated that the services will provide vital support to families so that better outcomes are achieved.    

 

The Cabinet Member Communities asked whether a difference had been seen to the provision of substance misuse services since the health board boundary change.  The Group Manager Learning Disability, Mental Health and Substance Misuse commented that the boundary change to Cwm Taf had seen a positive arrangement, whereas previously, there was a lack of structure to the APB.  He commented on the effectiveness of the regional team in RCT, which was well organised.

 

The Cabinet Member Wellbeing and Future Generations was pleased to see the joint working with partners and requested a further report once things have bedded in, on order to see how substance misuse services are improving.

 

The Leader commented that substance misuse is a contributor to homelessness and that it was important to focus on tackling this health problem.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Early Help stated that the service was seeing a complexity of presentations since the pandemic and commented on the importance of early intervention and support.       

 

The Leader thanked the Group Manager Learning Disability, Mental Health and Substance Misuse and his team who have continued to provide such valuable services to the community during the pandemic.   

 

RESOLVED:          That Cabinet:

 

· noted the work that has been undertaken to transition substance misuse services from the former Western Bay APB to the Cwm Taf Morgannwg APB;

· approved RCTCBC to undertake the procurement exercise to commission the integrated service provider for Tier 1 and 2 substance misuse service provision in Bridgend County Borough in accordance rule 3.1.5 of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, with approval to award the service contract via delegated powers (under BCBC’s Scheme of Delegation) once the procurement and evaluation process has been undertaken; and

· approved BCBC entering into a regional collaboration agreement with RCTCBC to set out the responsibilities of each Local Authority for the initial procurement process and contract management of the service contract.

· delegated authority to the Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Interim Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer and Chief Officer - Legal, HR and Regulatory Services, to agree the terms of and enter into the regional collaboration agreement and any documents or deeds ancillary to that agreement.

 requested that a further report be submitted to Cabinet once the new services and new provider are in place and on the success of those services.

Supporting documents:

 

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