The provision of Alcohol Screening, Brief Advice and Extended Interventions in Primary Care Settings

This notice is an intention to award a new contract, with a new provider, under the most suitable provider process for:

The provision of Alcohol Screening, Brief Advice and Extended Interventions in Primary Care Settings

Description of the services to be provided:

Surrey County Council has been awarded an annual Better Care Fund (CBF) grant of £155,000 to commissioning a targeted alcohol screening, identification and brief advice (IBA) and extended brief intervention (EBI) service based in primary care settings. This initiative responds to identified gaps in early alcohol harm prevention and aims to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions by increasing proactive identification and brief support for residents engaged in risky and harmful drinking.

The services included support the ambitions in Surrey's Health and Wellbeing Strategy, priority one, supporting people to reach their potential by addressing the wider determinants of health. Ensuring people have a healthy weight and are active and that substance misuse is low, including smoking.

The service objectives

The service will enable trained ACWs to conduct opportunistic and proactive alcohol screening in participating GP practices. Using the AUDIT-C and full AUDIT tools, the ACWs will identify individuals drinking at increasing or higher-risk levels. These individuals will then receive brief advice or, where appropriate, a structured extended brief intervention. For those whose needs exceed the scope of brief intervention, the service will facilitate seamless referral into structured treatment services such as i-access or community alcohol programmes. The service will also work collaboratively with GPs, nurses, social prescribers, and local voluntary organisations to strengthen early intervention pathways and increase service visibility.

The service objectives are:

• Deliver screening (AUDIT-C and full AUDIT) to identify risky drinkers.
• Provide brief and extended interventions using evidence-based tools.
• Refer patients needing further support to local alcohol treatment services.
• Build capacity in primary care through integration and partnership.

Anticipated Annual Value £155,000

Total Value inc. Extensions £465,000

Extension options: 1+1

Contract dates

• 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026
• Possible extension to 31 July 2028

Additional Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 does not apply to this award.

The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 31 July 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Written representations should be sent to [email protected]

Award decision-makers;

Public Health Consultant

Two Senior Public Health Leads

There are no conflicts or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision. This was conducted by each Officer completing a Conflicts of Interest form.

The relative importance of the key criteria that the relevant authority used to make a decision was the five key criteria under the Provider Selection Regime.

Which are:

Key criteria 1. Quality and Innovation

Key criteria 2. Value

Key criteria 3 Integration / collaboration / service sustainability

Key criteria 4. Improving access / reducing health inequalities / facilitating

Key Criteria 5. Social Value & Green

Questions were set against each key criteria for interested providers to respond against. Providing evidence, they are the most suitable provider for this service.

The questions set are as follows:

Key criteria 1. Quality and Innovation

Please describe how your organisation will ensure a safe, high-quality delivery of alcohol screening and brief interventions in line with the service specification. What innovative approaches will you adopt to enhance service effectiveness and patient engagement in primary care settings? Additionally, outline how you will embed the service within existing local networks and care pathways to ensure sustainability and integration.

Please also detail your organisation's safeguarding policies and procedures, including how these are applied in the delivery of similar services.

Key criteria 2. Value

Please describe how will your organisation deliver this service in a cost-effective manner while achieving the key performance indicators outlined in the specification? Please demonstrate how you will ensure value for money throughout the contract period, including your approach to monitoring and mitigating performance risks. A full budget breakdown of anticipated costs should be provided (attachments permitted).

Key criteria 3 Integration / collaboration / service sustainability

Question 1

Please describe how your organisation will collaborate with local partners and integrate with existing services to improve health outcomes and reduce alcohol-related harm, particularly among residents facing the greatest risks and inequalities.

Question 2

Please provide examples of successful partnership working, including how challenges were overcome and positive outcomes achieved. Where applicable, include examples from similar services delivered in other localities that demonstrate innovative engagement and sustainability strategies.

Key criteria 4. Improving access / reducing health inequalities / facilitating

Please provide evidence of your organisation's experience in delivering preventative interventions that reduce alcohol-related harm and health inequalities. What are the key access challenges and inequalities faced by the target populations in Surrey, and how will your organisation address these to improve service reach, accessibility, and user choice?

Key Criteria 5. Social Value & Green

What additional social value will your organisation bring to this contract? In line with Surrey's County Council's Social Value Policy? Please see Surrey's guide for reference: Social value policy - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

The rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria.

Key criteria 1. Quality and Innovation

The provider provided a good understanding and description of the model required.

The provider provided an explanation within their response about Safeguarding. Providing a detailed outline of safeguarding structure and assurances.

Key criteria 2. Value,

The provider methodically outlined their response addressing how this service will be delivered in a cost-effective manner. Which outlined how they will achieve the key performance indicators outlined in the specification.

Key criteria 3 Integration / collaboration / service sustainability

The provider provided an outline of existing local provision and the advantages this delivers. Which described forms of engagement with primary care in Surrey.

The provider spoke about successful partnership working providing four examples of how this has occurred.

Key criteria 4. Improving access / reducing health inequalities / facilitating

The provider outlined their work nationally providing evidence of delivery. The provider explained about their existing partnership and opportunities with regards to providing evidence of the organisation's experience in delivering preventative interventions that reduce alcohol-related harm and health inequalities.

Key Criteria 5. Social Value & Green

The provider explained how the use of a Capital Card is used.

The provider also described how they offer peer mentoring and look to volunteer locally.