Agenda item

To receive a briefing note providing an update on the plans to re-procure substance misuse services.  The Commission received a report on the proposal at its last meeting and the briefing note outlines the progress on the service design and the next steps in the procurement process.   

 

Following discussion of the plans to re-locate of The Wet Day Centre (Anchor Centre) at the last meeting, Members requested an update on the proposals to be submitted to this meeting.  The following information is submitted for Members’ information:-

 

• At its meeting of 6^th August the Health and Well-Being Scrutiny commission received a paper updating members on the plans to re-locate the Wet Day Centre to premises on Nelson Street, as the existing premises on Dover Street are not fit for purpose.

 

• The Deputy City Mayor advised the meeting that the planned move to Nelson Street would not be going ahead.

 

• Further to that meeting officers have continued to progress the identification of other suitable alternative options. This includes site visits and discussions with landlords about the possibility of using their properties to provide this type of service. 

 

• The key requirement is the need for premises in a good condition, with an outside space, which are located in the city centre.

 

• The existing provider is aware of the search for alternative suitable premises.

 

• Officers will continue to look at potential options.

 

• The commitment to engage with ward members once suitable premises have been identified remains in place.

 

• As the premises issue has not been resolved the service will not be included within the wider contract for substance misuse which will be launched to the market 5^th October.

 

Members’ received a briefing note providing an update on the plans to re-procure substance misuse services.  The Commission had received a report on the proposal at its last meeting. The briefing note outlined the progress on the service design and the next steps in the procurement process.   

 

Following discussion of the plans to re-locate of The Wet Day Centre (Anchor Centre) at the last meeting, Members had also requested an update on the proposals to be submitted to this meeting.  The following information was submitted for Members’ information and noted:-

 

• At its meeting of 6^th August the Health and Well-Being Scrutiny commission received a paper updating members on the plans to re-locate the Wet Day Centre to premises on Nelson Street, as the existing premises on Dover Street are not fit for purpose.

 

• The Deputy City Mayor advised the meeting that the planned move to Nelson Street would not be going ahead.

 

• Further to that meeting officers have continued to progress the identification of other suitable alternative options. This includes site visits and discussions with landlords about the possibility of using their properties to provide this type of service. 

 

• The key requirement is the need for premises in a good condition, with an outside space, which are located in the city centre.

 

• The existing provider is aware of the search for alternative suitable premises.

 

• Officers will continue to look at potential options.

 

• The commitment to engage with ward members once suitable premises have been identified remains in place.

 

• As the premises issue has not been resolved the service will not be included within the wider contract for substance misuse which will be launched to the market 5^th October.

 

 

Dr Anna Hiley, GP and Chief Executive, Inclusion Healthcare CIC and Wayne Henderson, Specialist Substance Misuse Nurse, gave a presentation on the operation of the Anchor Centre.  During the presentation the following comments were noted:-

 

a)         The Centre provides support through a Wet Day Centre for vulnerable street drinkers.

 

b)         The Centre has been part funded by the Council for nearly 20 years and has been commissioned by the Council since November 2014.

 

c)         Inclusion Healthcare was launched in 2010 to improve the health and wellbeing of homeless people and marginalised groups.

 

d)         Clients include the homeless, asylum seekers and people with substance misuse issue within the Criminal Justice Service.

 

e)         Inclusion Healthcare received an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC in November 2014 across all 5 inspection criteria.

 

f)          Following the closure of the Upper Tichbourne Hostel there had been an increase in levels of street drinking.  As there were now other ‘wet’ hostels users had to leave a ‘dry’ hostel to have a drink.

 

g)         The Anchor Centre provided:-

·         support to reduce the levels of drinking,

·         a structured recovery programme

·         access to primary health care services

·         assistance with housing etc.

 

NOTE:  Councillor Sangster left the meeting at this point.

 

h)          The current premises were unsuitable as the kitchen could not be used to provide food for the Centre users, the roof was damaged, the showers were not controlled, the heating system was ineffective, there was no hot water in the toilets and the building layout did not allow a stretcher to be taken into or out of the building.

 

  i)          Daily risk assessments were carried out to determine if the Centre was safe to operate and accept clients.  The Centre was closed on 5 occasions last winter as the heating system could not get the ambient temperature above 14°.  The situation was likely to get worse in the future.

 

j)            Any new premises would not realistically be available until Easter 2016 and extra action was needed urgently if the Centre was to continue to operate throughout the forthcoming winter.  The current situation had led service users to further feel that they were undervalued within society.

 

The Chair thanked Dr Hiley and Mr Henderson for their informative and thought provoking presentation. It disappointing that the situation had reached its current state and this needed to be addressed.  Urgent action was now required to ensure the service could continue to operate until satisfactory premises were provided.  

 

Members expressed support for the work of the Centre and felt that the situation should not have been allowed to reach its current state and, whilst they acknowledged the work currently being undertaken to find an alternative location for the Centre, they were dismayed that the current unsatisfactory situation had not been resolved.     

 

The Assistant City Mayor – Public Health stated that he would take away the Commission’s comments and would keep the Commission updated on progress.

 

Kate Galoppi, Head of Commissioning (Adult Social Care) updated Members on the plans to re-procure substance misuse services and it was noted that:-

 

a)         There had been a good response to the soft market testing.

 

b)         202 responses had been received in response to the consultation, a large proportion of which were from within the City.  There were some concerns expressed about safeguarding of adult and children if there was a combined service.

 

c)         It was proposed to provide a single service hub with 6 day access including support to the LGBT community.  A single service provision approach would bring service efficiencies.

 

d)         The process for inviting tenders would be launched 0n 5 October 2015.

 

The Assistant City Mayor – Public Health stated that Unite had submitted a response on behalf of users and carers outside of the consultation process, and a meeting had been held with them and their views would be taken into account.

 

Following questions from the Chair it was stated:-

 

a)         That although the provision of the wet centre had not been included within the current tender process, because of the work to find alternative accommodation for the centre; there was a provision for a contract variation at a later date and this could be used to include the wet centre when suitable premises had been identified.

 

b)         In any event, it would be necessary to start the procurement for the wet centre in January, whether within the Substance Misuse Contract or separately.

 

RESOLVED:

        

1)         That the progress report be noted and that a further update report be presented to the January meeting of the Commission on the progress with the Substance Misuse contract and the future location of the wet centre.

 

2)         That an update on the Anchor Centre be presented to the next meeting of the Commission.

 

 

ACTION   The Scrutiny Policy Officer add the update report on the Substance Misuse Contract to the work programme for the January meeting and the update for the Anchor Centre for the October meeting.