Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval for the re-procurement of a contract to deliver the Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service using the Provider Selection Regime.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To note that the Brent Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service was currently provided to the Council by VIA Community Ltd.

(2)       To approve the direct award under the Provider Selection Regime of the Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service to VIA Community Ltd for a period of three years.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 15 December 2025

Councillor Nerva (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health & Leisure) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Service Reform & Strategy regarding the arrangements for reprocuring the contract to deliver the Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing & Substance Misuse Service under the Provider Selection Regime

In presenting the report, Councillor Nerva began by reminding members of the critical role the Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing & Substance Misuse Service played in relation to the Council’s public health responsibilities and in terms of the impact on vulnerable residents in being able to access treatment and support through the service.  In commending the recommended direct award of the contract to VIA, the opportunity was taken to remind members of the achievements they had delivered in relation to the current service being offered to residents in terms of tailored care plans, clinical assessments, one-to-one key working, support groups, and even weekend services at Cobbold Road, backed by a 24/7 helpline.

In assuring members that the performance of VIA as the existing provider of the service had been subject to continued review and performance.  Monitoring details were also provided of the improved performance, including those achieved across key areas outlined within the 2021 National Drug Strategy: From Harm to Hope.  These included reference to increasing the number of people in Structured Treatment and number of opiate and crack users entering local treatment alongside the delivery of no waiting times for residents and retention rates comparable to national benchmarks meaning residents with substance abuse issues were able to be provided with the support needed when required.  Reference was also made to the achievement in Brent (delivered in partnership with VIA) in the micro-elimination of Hepatitis C in the local treatment population, one of only six boroughs nationally to have done so.

In highlighting the extensive nature of the existing and ongoing treatment and recovery offer available to Brent residents through VIA and how this was tailored according to individual health and social care needs, the opportunity was also taken to outline the basis on which the direct award had been recommended given the strong performance of the current service including partnership work being undertaken and wider alignment with the Council’s Health & Wellbeing Strategy.

In recognising the value of support being provided through the service, members were keen in supporting the approach outlined to highlight not only the transformational health but wider social care and community benefits being delivered through the integrated Treatment and Recovery offer.  Specific reference was made to the impact on families and also outreach work involving rough sleepers and links with wider community safety activity, recognising the way the service was already embedded in key partnership work.  Whilst aware of the need to ensure outreach work remained culturally appropriate in terms of any area-based approach, members were also keen to support the basis on which the direct award had been recommended with VIA assessed as delivering a well established and high-quality service as the existing provider and the approach also designed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10