A DRUG and Alcohol Treatment centre based in Thurrock has lost two of its vital contracts.
Oasis Open Door, based in Orsett Road, Grays, lost a number of contracts that cater for the treatment of people with substance misuse issues.
Kent-based KCA has been commissioned to provide three of four services by Thurrock’s DAAT (Drug and Alcohol Action Team) which are: Single Assessment and Integrated care Co-ordinated system; Clinical Interventions; and Structured Psychosocial Interventions, and will work closely with ‘Together’ who have been commissioned to provide the forth lot to support service users and carers.
The other contract has gone to London-based Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI).
Chief Executive from KCA, Ryan Campbell said: “Thurrock is a great place for forward-thinking substance misuse services. The services available already work well with service-users and communities, and there is a vibrant recovery culture.
“We are tremendously excited to be working with Thurrock and the staff and volunteers there, to take this support to its next stage of development.”
Some have pointed to the loss of the contract as further evidence that far from keeping business local, Thurrock Council continues to award contracts to large national organisations.
Chief executive of Open Door Oasis, Mike Kelly said: “Naturally, we are disappointed at losing these contracts. We had achieved a reputation for delivering the best service in the country.
“We will continue to deliver a first class service in the areas we retain.”
There are hopes that staff will be transferred over to the new services, there are no guarantees that this will be a smooth transition.
A Thurrock Council spokesperson said: “The new providers (KCA) for adults and CRI for young people, were selected to implement a re-designed substance-misuse treatment service that will build on the successes of the past with even greater focus on the long-term recovery of service users”.
