Community Substance Misuse Service Contract Award

The Wirral Council intends to award a contract for an all-age, community-based substance misuse treatment and recovery service under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 using Direct Award Process C. This is an Intention to Award Notice and the contract has not yet been formally awarded. The service addresses significant substance misuse challenges in the borough, where 77% of opiate clients live in the most deprived areas and drug-related deaths remain high, often linked to chronic physical and mental health conditions. The procurement aligns with the Wirral Drugs Strategy 2023-2027 and supports four key Public Health Outcomes Framework indicators: successful completion of drug and alcohol treatment, reduction in deaths from drug and alcohol use, treatment engagement for adults released from prison, and reduction in alcohol-related hospital admissions. The contract supports the national 10-year drug strategy 'From Harm to Hope' and Dame Carol Black's independent review recommendations, with emphasis on integrated services and reducing drug-related harm across all communities. The existing provider has demonstrated satisfactory performance against key and basic selection criteria and is expected to continue meeting required standards.