Proposed decision:
As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I agree:
i. To accept the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grants 2022/23 to 2024/25 and the Inpatient Detoxification Grant (£7,421,560) under the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities (OHID) terms and conditions.
ii. DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, entering into and finalising the terms of relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the decision. The provision and related grant funding will be flexibly deployed to be responsive to local need as identified through both local and national indicators during the course of the grant.
iii. DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director of Finance, to accept and deploy further funding from OHID towards substance misuse service associated with the 10-year Harm to Hope national drug strategy.
Reason for the decision:
Dame Carol Black was commissioned by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social care to undertake an independent review of drugs to inform thinking on what more can be done to tackle the harm that drugs cause. Following the review, a three-year funding package has been announced in the National Drug Strategy to implement the recommendations outlined in the review through additional funding outside of the Public Health Grant to local authorities.
Background:
Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, local authorities have the duty to reduce health inequalities and improve the health of their local population by ensuring that there are public health services aimed at reducing drug and alcohol misuse. Kent County Council receives a ring-fenced Public Health grant each year, of which a condition is to deliver services aimed at reducing drug and alcohol misuse.
Options (other options considered but discarded):
- Reject the funding - As with any grant, there is an option to accept or reject the funding. The funding will support KCC’s statutory responsibility in providing Drug and Alcohol treatment services and will support KCC’s strategy in improving the quality of life of vulnerable residents. Rejecting the grant would not be in the public’s interest.
- Outsource the management of the grant – The management of the grant could be outsourced either in full or in part to a third party. Outsourcing the management of the grant was discounted to ensure that KCC could closely control and monitor the grant in line with existing service delivery and ensure flexible application to emerging need.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure or savings of more than £1m;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: (All Division);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 20/04/2022
Decision due: Not before 28th Apr 2022 by Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Reason: To allow a minimum of 5 clear working days from FED publication (semi-urgent decision)
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Lead director: Dr Anjan Ghosh
Department: Social Care, Health & Wellbeing
Financial implications: The total funding to be received from 2022/23 to 2024/24 is £7,421,560. Funding values are indicative values and may be subject to change over the three-year funding allocation. 2022/23 - Supplemental funding for substance misuse treatment and recovery = £1,101,719, Inpatient Detoxification Grant = £167,295. 2023/24 - Supplemental funding for substance misuse treatment and recovery = £2,202,556, Inpatient Detoxification Grant = £167,295. 2024/25 - Supplemental funding for substance misuse treatment and recovery = £3,615,400, Inpatient Detoxification Grant = £167,295.
Legal implications: Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 [8], Directors of Public Health (DPH) in the upper tier (UTLA) and unitary (ULA) local authorities have a specific duty to protect and enhance the population’s health. All grant-funded activities will be conducted in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and will follow national guidance and best practices in relation to drug and alcohol treatment and interventions.
Equalities implications: Equalities impact assessments have already been completed for commissioned services. New service delivery as implemented through the life course of the grant will each have an Equality Impact Assessment undertaken to ensure protected groups are not disadvantaged. Data Protection Implications: Data Protection impact assessments have already been completed for commissioned services. New service delivery as implemented through the life course of the grant will each have a Data Protection Impact Assessment undertaken.