Issue - meetings

To consider a report of Mike O’Regan, Associate Director of Joint Commissioning, Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust (CECPCT) and Davina Parr, Associate Director of Public Health, CECPCT

The Committee considered a report of Mike O’Regan and Davina Parr, from the Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust (CECPCT), on the re-commissioning of Specialist Adult Alcohol Misuse Services.  The commissioning of alcohol services would transfer to the Council from 1 April 2013 when public health duties became the Council’s responsibility.  The process of re-commissioning the service at this stage was through a joint project involving Cheshire East Council and health partners, lead by the PCT.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment had highlighted a need to address the issue of alcohol related harm.  A number of commissioned services were currently in place and notice had been served on providers in the light of plans to re-commission services.   The retendering process would include reviewing funding levels for the service which was felt to have been underfunded for several years.

The re-commissioned service would involve integrated work at local level between community services and hospital services as well as close working with other services such as social care, criminal justice and safeguarding.  The model for service delivery would be for Community Alcohol Services based within the two Clinical Commissioning Group footprints and for Hospital Alcohol Services based at Macclesfield and Leighton Hospitals.  Services for children and young people, and planned inpatient detoxification services were not included as part of the tender.  Detoxification services were very specialised and delivered separately and there was no waiting list.  

There were a number of planned outcomes for the service including a reduction in alcohol related hospital admissions, a reduction in chronic and acute ill health caused by alcohol and a reduction in alcohol related attendances at Accident and Emergency Departments. 

The contract would run for 3 years with a break clause after twelve months.  This would include consideration of how well the service was integrating with other services. 

Members were advised that health checks that were carried out in GP practices would include questions about alcohol use with referrals where appropriate.   It was noted that alcohol was a priority in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the current engagement on the Strategy may give ideas and evidence of successful interventions that could then be reflected in the contract. 

RESOLVED:  that

(a) the report be noted; and

(b) a report be brought back to a future meeting to update on matters discussed at the meeting including measuring outcomes of the new contract; use of social marketing and age and gender differences.