Update - December 2016

Disappointingly, the current bid is not going ahead as we had hoped or planned. Our understanding at this stage is that one of the main parties in the bid has decided to withdraw from the process. There is work going on now to establish another bid in the hope that we, as GP practices, will be able to make a positive contribution to this important area of work.

WE are part of a bid team that has now successfully passed the first stage of the tendering process for providing community-based Drugs and Alcohol Services across Bradford. As a result, we are seeking your input on working with us and our partners on shaping our final submission in a month’s time. We are very much a strategic partner in this alliance, rather than a delivery partner.

The joint bid is being spearheaded a newly-formed Drugs and Alcohol Alliance, led by Addaction and including partner organisations such as the Bridge Project, Project 6 and ourselves. It is an initial 5-year contract, starting in October 2017, and expected to be worth around £35m

We have been successful in passing the first stage of the tender process, which was the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. The next step is progressing to the full tender stage and the alliance of providers is beginning to work on its submission, which must be completed by October 19.

This is then followed by a period of dialogue with all potential providers before a final submission is made.

Graham Sanderson continues to lead on this for Bradford Care Alliance and anyone who wishes to work with him on this project should contact him directly at graham.sanderson@bradford.nhs.uk.

The tender has been issued by Bradford District Council, who described the service specification as:

“A community=based substance misuse ( drugs and alcohol)  recovery service for adults aged over 18 which is effective in preventing, reducing and treating substance misuse and its associated harms for Individuals, families, concerned others and communities. The service will have a single point of contact providing simple and effective access and seamless movement across the service. The service will provide a range of recovery options including pharmacological interventions, psychosocial interventions, community recovery resources, employment and skills opportunities and mutual aid.”

The council are looking to commission this from a single provider in the same as way as they did for sexual health.

As we reported in last month’s e-bulletin, commitment to Involvement does not mean your practice will have to provide the service

Other than a very few practices who provide some specialist services, there is very little involvement currently from Primary Care in the delivery of these services.

One of the key features of the new specification is that the services should be far more embedded in Primary Care.

To be clear from the outset this does NOT mean that practices will be required to deliver these services directly and this new contract is unlikely to create any direct financial gain for practices from provision of services.

Our role in this alliance will be one of a strategic partner rather than a delivery partner. Practices with a specialist interest in these services will have the opportunity to continue this via a sub-contract arrangement with the alliance (directly).