This draft commissioning strategy, prepared by the Institute of Public Care for the City of London Substance Misuse Partnership (SMP), sets out a three-to-five year outcomes-based plan for the commissioning and delivery of services to problematic drug and alcohol users among the area’s small residential population, and also its much larger working and visiting population. It is informed by both the current climate of cost-reduction and the drive towards further choice and personalisation in public services, and emphasises the need for collaborative working, across agencies and with neighbouring London boroughs.
The document first assesses the legislative and policy context by which the new strategy must be driven, including the financial implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review but also service reconfigurations such as the new Public Health Service, and the new health and wellbeing responsibilities falling to the local authority, as well as the broader momentum towards localism and greater community empowerment.
It then performs separate needs assessments for drug and alcohol services, in light of the area`s very particular demographic context, and reviews existing services. These are found to be broadly responsive and well integrated, but areas for development to meet the personalisation agenda are identified, including the need for a system of individual budgets and a wider variety of treatment options, in which context the strategy also emphasises the need for a market development plan.
Current SMP financial and staffing resources are assessed, and a risk assessment performed that highlights in particular the potentially destabilising effects of internal reorganisation and uncertainty over ongoing funding. The strategy also sets out plans for monitoring and review, using a balanced scorecard method to measure the impact of proposed service changes.
Finally, key priorities for the strategy are summarised.
For further information please contact Graeme McLaren at IPC
Email: ipc@brookes.ac.uk
Tel: 01865 790312
