WALTHAM FOREST: PCT defends drug addiction service decision

11:55am Tuesday 6th May 2008

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A HEALTH trust has defended its controversial decision to give a contract for drug and alcohol addiction services to a national charity instead of local ones.

Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT), along with the council, said their decision to amalgamate three drugs and alcohol centres into two - saving £60,000 - was not simply a money-saving exercise, but intended to offer an improved service to addicts.

Award-winning Waltham Forest-based charity One North East London, or 1NE, which has been running an abstinence-based service in Beulah Road, Walthamstow, for 21 years, was one of three charities disappointed to lose the contract.

However, a spokeswoman for the PCT said that in addition to the programmes currently offered, such as counselling and workshops, Turning Point - the largest voluntary sector provider of drug and alcohol treatment nationwide - will be able to offer greater capacity and more "family work".

The spokeswoman said: "The aim of the PCT is to improve health outcomes for local people. Due process was followed for the tender, and this will result in improvements to the service as well as keeping existing best practice.

"Turning Point is stronger on clinical governance, case management and audit. It has the capacity to integrate best practice, as well as provide workforce development and training to staff."

Several users of the centres, which include the Westminster Drug Project at Thorpe Coombe Hospital and Rugby House in Leytonstone High Road, have expressed concern that they might relapse if handed over to "strangers" under Turning Point.

But the PCT and council are offering reassurance that some staff will transfer to Turning Point under TUPE - the government regulated Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) - so that users may have the same key workers.

The decision to amalgamate the services was made by the PCT and council following an assessment of drug provision in the borough last year, which concluded that users would benefit from the services being brought together.

A Waltham Forest Council spokesman said while they "valued" 1NE's work on the previous contract, 1NE had admitted it would not able to meet the new targets to treat 100 drug and 100 alcohol users required for the £250,000 contract.

1NE said that this was because it did not believe 100 drug users wanting abstinence would visit the centre in the first year.