Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs N F Clarke and Councillor M A Whittington.

All declarations of interest will be recorded within the relevant minute item.

(To receive a report by Carl Miller, Commercial and Procurement Manager, which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Extension of the Substance Misuse Treatment Services Contract which is due to be considered by the Executive on 4 October 2022. The view of the Committee will be reported to the Executive as part of its consideration of this item)

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Health Protection and the Commercial and Procurement Manager which invited the Committee to comment on the report prior to its consideration by the Executive on 4 October 2022. The report sought authorisation for an exception to the Council's Contract Regulations to enable the extension of the Council’s Substance Misuse Treatment Contract for a period 6 months to 31 March 2024.

The Committee was advised that the current length of the contract would not permit full and proper consideration of emerging considerations and would impact the future design and delivery of substance misuse treatment services in Lincolnshire. An extension of Lincolnshire County Council’s commissioned Substance Misuse services contracts for a further six month period would maintain the coterminous alignment of contracts whilst emerging considerations were addressed, and recommissioning continued.

The Committee was advised that services were performing well and officers had not identified any issues in relation to provider performance.

The potential opportunity in the recommissioning of substance misuse treatment and recovery services to collaborate on a more efficient and effective model as a result of the extension was highlighted. Benefits of the contract extension included a reduction in duplication and economies of scale in certain aspects of service delivery. The extension would also allow time to consider emerging developments in particular the forthcoming implementation of the Provider Selection Regime as part of the Health and Care Act 2022 and the 2021 national drug strategy and subsequent local guidance to establish combating drugs partnerships in the finalisation of the new services.

Consideration was given to the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

·       The Committee requested an item involving the existing provider contractor, We Are With You, no earlier than its November 2022 meeting with a view to exploring in further detail key performance indicators and detail on what was provided to service users; as well as its county-wide offer.  It was suggested that there may be benefit in an all Councillor briefing session to provide detail into the services available.

·       The Committee also requested an item on the procurement process for the new contract (expected to begin in March 2024) no earlier than May 2023 meeting, which would provide the Committee with an opportunity to consider the proposed content of the new contract.   

·       Members supported collaborative work with other agencies, such as the Police and the local NHS, in particular focusing on the needs of children and young people.  There was also collaboration at a regional level, where good practice and learning were shared.

·       The Council provided operated a three-tiered support offer: a universal offer, bespoke preventative services and specialist services which were managed by We Are With You. The substance misuse treatment services provided by We Are With You are focused on those people with the highest needs.  Those with lower treatment needs, such as supporting changes in behaviour, were normally addressed by One You Lincolnshire. 

·       Individuals were able to self-refer to each  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

(To receive a report by Carl Miller, Commercial and Procurement Manager, which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Extension of the Lincolnshire Integrated Sexual Health Services Contract, which is due to be considered by the Executive on 4 October 2022. The views of the Committee will be reported to the Executive as part of its consideration of this item)

10:51 – Councillor C E H Marfleet left the meeting.

VICE-CHAIRMAN IN THE CHAIR

Consideration was given to a report by the Consultant in Public Health and the Commercial and Procurement Manager, which invited the Committee to consider the report prior to consideration by the Executive on 4 October 2022. The report sought approval to extend all of Lincolnshire County Council’s commissioned sexual health services contracts for a further 12 month period.

The report outlined the commissioning arrangements of the current contract; commissioning considerations; provider performance and the cost implications of the proposed extension.

Officers emphasised that current contracts were performing to a high standard. Benefits of the proposed model would allow for greater efficiencies at no extra cost whilst also providing an opportunity for the contract to be developed in line with the National strategy which was due to be published at the end of the calendar year.

The Committee noted that there was no provision to extend the current contract beyond 31 March 2023 and any decision to extend further would need to be managed by making variations to existing contracts.

The Committee supported the recommendations to the Executive.

RESOLVED:

              That the recommendations, as set out in the Executive report, be         supported. 

(In accordance with Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, agenda item 6 has not been circulated to the press and public on the grounds that it is considered to contain exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended. The press and public may be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of this item of business)

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it is considered to contain exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

(To receive an exempt report by Alina Hackney, Head of Commercial Services and Pam Clipson, Head of Finance, Adult Care and Community Wellbeing which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Market Sustainability, Fair Cost of Care, which is due to be considered by the Executive on 4 October 2022. The views of the Committee will be reported to the Executive as part of its consideration of this item)

During this item, Councillor T A Carter declared a non-pecuniary interest as a trustee of a local hospital which would receive funding from the Fair Cost of Care scheme.

Consideration was given to an exempt report which was due to be considered by the Executive on 4 October 2022.

11:38am – Councillor H Marfleet re-entered the meeting.

Following consideration of the report, the Committee supported the recommendations to the Executive.

RESOLVED:

1.      That the recommendations to the Executive, as set out in the Exempt report, be approved.

That a summary of the comments made be passed on to the Executive as part of their consideration of this item.