The provision of a Medically managed Substance Misuse Residential Detoxification service

Sefton Council intends to secure the services of experienced and suitably qualified organisations to deliver a residential medically managed detoxification service for substance misusers resident in Sefton.

A residential medically managed service is required for individuals wishing to realise a drug and/or alcohol-free life, but whose physical or mental health, family or social circumstances makes it unlikely that the person is able to realise this goal in a community setting.

The current service has been hosted and provided by Mersey Care NHS Trust as part of an integrated, recovery-orientated, substance misuse treatment system.

The service has been delivered against a service specification, moderated and performance managed since 2013 by Sefton Council.

From April 1st 2013 NHS Sefton ceased to exist and the Public Health function became the responsibility of the Local Authority.

The responsibility for commissioning substance misuse services transitioned to Local Authorities at the same time.

All existing contractual arrangements were transitioned into the Local Authority and this contract was extended until 31st March 2016.

A further extension of three months has enabled a review of the balance between residential and community detoxification to be undertaken.

In light of the above, Sefton Council is in the position to procure, through an OJEU Light-Touch Regime tender process, a residential medically managed detoxification service that meets local needs, in order to award the contract.

Submissions will be invited from suitably experienced and qualified organisations to deliver this service as the sole contractor.

Sub-contracting will not be acceptable, and will lead to a fail at the pass/fail section.

The bedded unit must be within 15 miles of the Sefton border in order to pass at the pass/fail section