A lifeline thrown to Fife drug and alcohol support groups has been hailed as a testament to democracy.
Drug and Alcohol Project Limited (DAPL) and Aberlour Child Care Trust has welcomed the outcome of last week’s health and social care partnership meeting, when a decision about vital funding was delayed for six months.
Martin Denholm from DAPL said: “We were hoping common sense would prevail.
“This is something that will affect whole communities in Fife, not just substance users, and there is a commitment here to get the best value.
“It is a testament to the democratic process.”
Funding was set to be channelled into national organisations Barnardo’s and Addaction Scotland at the expense of smaller groups such as DAPL and Aberlour Child Care Trust, but Fife Council administration leader Peter Grant suggested the competitive bidding process for funding be rerun to allow groups to work together on proposals.
He was backed by councillors across political parties.
NHS Fife chief executive George Brechin refused to take a stance, and said initial recommendations laid down by Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) should be followed.’Very painful redundancy’Groups now have until February to come up with ideas for working together to maintain services and the partnership will decide how nearly £10 million in grants is to be allocated in November.
Mr Denholm said recent weeks had been difficult for staff, some of whom had already been told they face redundancy.
He said: “Staff have already been through a very painful redundancy process people who have worked in the community for many years.
“The meeting only happened on Thursday and now we’re in the position of taking a breath and trying to muster the energy because the job’s not done the job’s just started.
“There is already a lot of partnership working in Fife.”
He added: “We’ve never been better in Fife at working for the client, but you can always be better.
“Here’s an opportunity to be better than we already are.
“What we are aiming to do is to continue to evolve and develop a service that we have been developing for the past 17 years.”‘Excellent opportunity’Mr Denholm has not ruled out the possibility that DAPL’s celebrated street referral scheme for underage drinkers could be resurrected if the service is part of a successful funding bid.
The scheme has already run out of funding and is to cease next month.
Mr Denholm said: “This is not something we are going to let fall off the radar.
“My staff just want to do their job and that’s why they do the very difficult job that they do.”
Aberlour Child Care Trust supports children and families affected by parental substance misuse through its Time 4 You service.
The trust’s area manager, David Barr, said: “Aberlour Child Care Trust welcomes the decision of Fife health and social care partnership, at their meeting of August 25, to restart the process for commissioning drug and alcohol services in the kingdom.
“Aberlour’s Time 4 You service looks forward to working in partnership with Fife ADP and all interested providers as we approach this new commissioning process.
“This is an excellent opportunity to ensure local service provision reflects the very best of what is available in response to the needs of the people of Fife.”