DISC News Spot - Updated 15/05/08

LCDP Contract announcement
The Leeds Community Drugs Partnership has successfully tendered, and been declared preferred provider, for Drug Treatment services as specified within contracts 2 and 3. This partnership is made up of DISC (lead Agency), BARCA-Leeds and St. Annes.

LCDP Vision- Drug treatment is a stepping stone to Social Inclusion

DISC, BARCA and St. Anne’s make a distinctive partnership of organisations; effective, community focussed and with a shared ethos. Our individual track records in drug treatment create a compelling case for considering the outcomes that we are able to provide for service users and communities in Leeds. We share a commitment to the performance management of services for our customers allied to a value base that respects and values the people we work for. By working together we have been able to share best practise, agree common goals and believe deeply that we will deliver the best possible service for Leeds.

It is a statement of belief that people should get the services they want and need, when they need them and not determinate on the preference of a worker or provider.

The partners have developed their own externally funded provision and key strategic and operational linkages that meet the wider needs of the client, within and beyond the integrated treatment services model. This added value of the employment, housing, family and community services that we operate in Leeds is a critical and unique feature.

Objectives
  • Enhanced personal and social development with new and developing lifestyles
  • Improved self confidence and motivation to change
  • Access to safe and responsive substitute prescribing
  • Close and effective partnership working with health and other community services
  • Improved health through the reduction of harmful behaviour
  • Access to community facilities and opportunities i.e. housing, leisure, debt advice, counselling
  • Improved understanding of the impact of substance misuse on the individual and others
  • Improved insight and ability to manage dependence on substances
  • Reduction in drug related crime
  • Service users able to identify their own progression and achievements through care review
  • Opportunities for service users to support others and influence service development
  • Access to education, training and employment opportunities as a key alternative to a drug using lifestyle
  • Choice within a responsive programme that can provide valued services to users from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds
We are intending to fully comply with TUPE Regulations and everyone engaged in service delivery, within the terms of the specifications of those contracts, will be offered a job. We urgently wish to engage in discussions with staff about the service we plan to deliver and their part within this. Once we get staffing details we will be able to make contact with the staff concerned. We reaffirm our commitment to managing this process in as positive and productive way as possible.

We acknowledge that this is a difficult and uncertain time for many but would like to start by welcoming and introducing people to the LCDP partnership. The skills and experience of the staff are the foundation on which we will be building the service. We are looking for people with a commitment and vocation to substance miusers and hope to give a framework within which everyone’s work and efforts can be increasingly successful and productive. We look forward to a positive future for all concerned; staff, services users and stakeholders.

We plan to deliver services on the basis of three segments that follow the neighbourhood policing boundaries. BARCA- Leeds will be responsible for the North West, DISC for the North East and St. Annes for City & Holbeck. Wherever possible staff will remain in their current area of operation and will move to the employment of the organisation responsible for the management of that service, thus giving continuity of service.

We are looking for the absolute minimum of disruption to service users during the transition of services and we hope that people carry on delivering services in the usual way during that period. In the medium to long term we are looking to develop and improve services and we will be involving service users and staff in discussions and consultation about the future. We have made a strong commitment to the long term community integration of service users and to ensuring that drug treatment is firmly rooted in this larger process. The key changes that we make will be aimed at achieving this goal.

Contact details, for anyone who wishes to make make further enquiries, is provided below.

In the first instance please email info@disc-vol.org.uk, and dependant upon your query, the appropriate person will contact you.

Updated 15/05/08