Purpose

To seek approval to enhance stop smoking
support (SSS) service provision across Gloucestershire, targeting
specific cohorts of the population with high smoking prevalence
rates, by recruiting additional SSS coaching capacity to provide
behaviour change support to smokers during their quit attempt.
Additional coaching capacity will be provided by:

Modifying the current contract with ABL Health Ltd. for the
provision of the adults’ Healthy Lifestyles Service.

Conducting a competitive procurement process in respect of a
contract for the supply of a specialist outreach tobacco dependency
support service.

Decision

Having received confirmation
from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) that the Local
Stop Smoking Services and Support Grant (LSSSSG) 2024-2029 shall be
£3,936,505 (£787,301 per annum) assuming no reduction;
and then having consulted with the Cabinet Member for Public Health
in accordance with the Cabinet Decision dated 15th May
2024:
 
DECISION
To enhance universal stop smoking support
(SSS) service provision across Gloucestershire, and also target specific cohorts of the population
with high smoking prevalence rates, by recruiting additional SSS
coaching capacity to provide behaviour change support to smokers
during their quit attempt. The recruitment of these additional
staff shall be achieved as follows:
 

The council’s current contract
with ABL Health Ltd for the provision of the adults’ Healthy
Lifestyles Service (HLS) shall be modified to include the provision
of additional SSS coaching capacity and brief intervention training
provision to third party statutory and community organisations
during the period 1st December 2024 to 31st
March 2027.

 
2.    
The council shall conduct a competitive procurement process in
respect of a contract for the supply of a specialist outreach
tobacco dependency support service for Gloucestershire residents
who are underserved by mainstream tobacco dependency support and
require a more targeted and tailored approach (e.g., those who are
homeless, living in temporary accommodation or social housing, and
those with substance misuse issues). The contract shall
continue for an initial period of two years
(commencing on 1st June 2025) and include an option to
extend its term for a further period of one year and ten months
from 31st May 2027.
 
This is provided that the
annual rate of the LSSSSG received by the
council remains at the 2024/25 level i.e., £787,301 per annum
over the 5-year grant period (2024/25 to 2028/29), adding up to a
total of £3,936,505. In the event of
there being any reduction in the amount of LSSSSG funding received by the council during this period,
a separate decision will be sought at the
relevant time in order to allocate
funding from Public Health reserves through the appropriate
decision-making route.