Purpose

It is recommended
the Director approves the modification to the existing
‘Addictions Service – North Cumbria’ contract to
reflect expansion of services as a result of supplemental funding
received by The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
(OHID) and allocated by Public Health (with some additional
investment from the Council’s Public Health Grant). The total
value of the additional investment to which this modification
relates is £677,481.85. This funding has enhanced service
provision and enabled the Council to work towards expectations set
by Central Government as part of a 10-year ‘From Harm to
Hope’ drug-strategy. In addition, this request also seeks
permission to modify the contract to reflect the provider’s
position and subsequent obligations as Data Controller (currently
identified as Data Processor in the contract)

Content

It is recommended the Director of Public
Health and Communities approves implementation of a contract
modification to the Addictions Services – North Cumbria
contract. Approval of the contract modification request was
obtained on 20th September 2024 and is attached as
Appendix 1.

Approved implementation of the modification
will enable the Council to amend the terms and conditions of the
contract, reflecting the provider’s position as a Data
Controller (the current contract refers to the provider being a
Data Processor only). In addition, approval to implement the
modification will embed changes to the service which were enabled
by additional investment from Public Health and The Office for
Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) which were delivered in
the financial year 2023/24.

If approved, the existing contract will be
retrospectively modified to embed additional activity enabled by
monies allocated by Cumberland Council’s Public Health Team.
The funding totals £754,809. Of this, £499,072 was from
the Council’s SSMTRG (Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment
and Recovery Grant) award and £255,737 from the ring-fenced
Public Health Grant.

Implementation of the enhanced activity under
this contract occurred in the Recovery Steps Cumbria (delivered by
Humankind Charity and The Well Communities) service. Changes to the
service were proposed by the Council’s Public Health Team as
part of ongoing review of need and service delivery. Proposals for
spend against SSMTRG was presented to and subsequently approved by
the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) as a
proper use of the SSMTRG. All subsequent in-year reprofiling was
also approved by OHID. This ability to reprofile funds across the
year ensured the Council and Recovery Steps Cumbria could amend
plans in line with changing need locally. For this reason, the
formal modification of the contract is occurring
retrospectively.