Rachael Sadegh, (Service Manager - Substance Misuse) presented the report requesting that the Council award an annual grant to the East London Foundation Trust to fund the drug related costs associated with substance misuse treatment interventions.  At the request of the Grants Scrutiny Sub – Committee, a summary of prescription costs was previously circulated to the GDSC.

Ms Sadegh provided an overview of the background to the decision, highlighting the key features of the previous prescribing arrangements as set out in the committee report

The Mayor invited the Chair of GSSC to comment on the report. He indicated that the GSSC sought clarity as to the future approach to prescribing and whether or not this funding was likely to be awarded as a grant in the future. They also asked questions about the funding split between the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group. The GSCC were satisfied with responses  and noted the similarities between the arrangements and those in place elsewhere.  The GSSC endorsed the report.

The Mayor then invited GDSC Members to comment on the report.  Members noted the summary of prescription costs and asked questions of clarity that were responded to by officers.

DECISION

1.            That an annual grant to ELFT to the value of up to £400k be approved to fund drug costs associated with substance misuse treatment interventions for the duration of the current Reset contract with ELFT (due to end on 30^th October 2019).

2.            That Corporate Director Health, Adults and Community be delegated authority to approve funding agreement between THCCG and LBTH.

3.            To note that payment of the grant will be made in arrears at the end of the year in which expenditure was incurred. The first payments will therefore be for the contract year 31^st October 2016 to 30^th October 2017 and 31^st October 2017 to 30^th October 2018

Rachael Sadegh, (Service Manager - Substance Misuse) presented the report requesting that the Council award an annual grant to the East London Foundation Trust to fund the drug related costs associated with substance misuse treatment interventions.  At the request of the Grants Scrutiny Sub – Committee, a summary of prescription costs was previously circulated to the GDSC.

Ms Sadegh provided an overview of the background to the decision, highlighting the key features of the previous prescribing arrangements as set out in the committee report

The Mayor invited the Chair of GSSC to comment on the report. He indicated that the GSSC sought clarity as to the future approach to prescribing and whether or not this funding was likely to be awarded as a grant in the future. They also asked questions about the funding split between the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group. The GSCC were satisfied with responses  and noted the similarities between the arrangements and those in place elsewhere.  The GSSC endorsed the report.

The Mayor then invited GDSC Members to comment on the report.  Members noted the summary of prescription costs and asked questions of clarity that were responded to by officers.

RESOLVED:

1.            That an annual grant to ELFT to the value of up to £400k be approved to fund drug costs associated with substance misuse treatment interventions for the duration of the current Reset contract with ELFT (due to end on 30^th October 2019).

2.            That Corporate Director Health, Adults and Community be delegated authority to approve funding agreement between THCCG and LBTH.

3.            To note that payment of the grant will be made in arrears at the end of the year in which expenditure was incurred. The first payments will therefore be for the contract year 31^st October 2016 to 30^th October 2017 and 31^st October 2017 to 30^th October 2018

Ms Rachael Sadegh, Service Manager for Substance Misuse presented her report. She informed Members that following further discussions with Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (THCCG), it had been agreed the arrangements for the Council’s contribution for the Prescribing Costs for substance misuse should be paid directly to the East London Foundation Trust – the providers, rather than to THCCG.

Ms Sadegh explained the Council’s contribution amounted to £350,000 and the THCCG contributed £89,000.

In response to questions raised by Members the following was noted.

·         Members asked why this was a grant rather than a commissioned service. Ms Sadegh explained that there were historic reasons for this however going forward the intention was to include the costs in the contract when the contract would be re-procured in October 2019. She referred Members to paragraph 3.1 which gave further details of this.

·         In response to if the service could be provided in-house, Ms Sadegh stated there was no expertise in the Council to offer this service in-house and it’s unlikely any other Council offers this service in-house.

·         Ms Sadegh confirmed the Council’s contribution was larger than the CCG’s as it was required to provide a substance misuse service. The CCG’s contribution takes into account the activity spending and not all of the CCG’s actual spend.

·         Ms Sadegh confirmed up to 18,000 people use the Substance Misuse service per financial year.

o   ACTION: Officers were asked to update the table of costing in Appendix 1 from the 24^th October 2017 meeting and to provide this information in time for the Grants Determination Sub-Committee meeting of Wednesday, 16^th January 2019.

Members of the Sub-Committee RESOLVED to AGREE and ENDORSE the recommendations to the Grants Determination Sub-Committee to:

1.    Approve an annual grant to ELFT to the value of up to £400K to fund drug costs associated with substance misuse treatment interventions for the duration of the current Reset contract with ELFT (due to end 30^th October 2019).

2.    Delegate authority to Corporate Director Health, Adults and Community to approve funding agreement between THCCG and LBTH.

3.    Note that payment of the grant will be made in arrears at the end of the year in which expenditure was incurred. The first payments will therefore be for the contract year 31^st October 2016 to 30^th October 2017 and 31^st October 2017 to 30^th October 2018.