SMOKING CESSATION SUPPORT SERVICE

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council wish to commission a Smoking Cessation Service that is innovative, adaptable, and aspirational, that supports the council to achieve its vision for all smokers in Sandwell to be supported to stop or at least reduce the harm associated with their smoking or tobacco use.

Sandwell Smoking Cessation Support Service has a vision of enhancing health and wellbeing, improving physical and psychological quality of life and reducing the risk of disease and illness in individuals, families and communities.

The provision of required Smoking Cessation Support will therefore ensure that it operates as a preventative and a clinical programme that focuses on behaviour change.

The new Smoking Cessation Support Service must be an efficiently delivered service which prioritises the needs of smokers in our population that need the service the most.

Core to service delivery is innovation and flexibility to respond to emerging developments such as advances in technologies, new research findings and system-wide developments afforded from national and local delivery ambitions.

It is expected that there will be 2 main elements to service delivery:

• A specialist service for smoking cessation(covering all pharmacological and behavioural support intervention delivery management as well as delivery of brief advice/smoking cessation training to stakeholders and partners). This element will require delivery across the system - in particular to reflect and involve organisations/settings/groups who already encounter populations with a high prevalence of smokers.
• A self-help option for cessation of smoking(directed at those already inclined to quit and with the necessary access/resource to do so). This element will be accessed by smokers wanting to quit but not interested in the conventional approach of face-to-face or telephone support. Behavioural support will be delivered through digital means including regular motivational messages that can track progress. Should any pharmacological needs be required alongside this, the Provider will manage such provision.

Where appropriate, vape supply and support is to be ensured across both elements towards a harm reduction and quit approach.

The service is also expected to provide an offer for vape initiators (never smokers) who may request support to stop vaping.

There is a total possible contract term of 4 years with a possible maximum value of £3,600,000 available to deliver Smoking Cessation Support Service of which £1,800,000 is subject to confirmation of government grants monies Local Stop Smoking Services and Support Grant(LSSSSG). Therefore, the initial annual contract value will be £450,000 which may increase to £900,000 subject to LSSSSG grant confirmation and council decision to include this funding within the contract. Further information can be found in the tender documentation.

The Contract term is anticipated to be an initial term of 2 years from 01 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, with the option to extend for up to a further 2 years.