Suffolk Lived Experience Engagement Project (SLEEP)

Approximate delivery timescales and costs:

6 Months (January to July 2025)

Estimated total contract value is: £28,000 (excluding VAT).

Project Description

To ensure that the perspectives of service users are fully integrated into the development and delivery of drug and alcohol services in Suffolk, we are launching a lived experience initiative to inform the work of our Combating Drugs Partnership and Suffolk Commissioned Drugs and Alcohol service. This project will involve engaging with a range of individuals, including current and former service users, people who use substances but have never sought treatment, and those affected by substance use.

Our primary focus for this engagement work is to gain deeper insights into substance misuse in the following key areas:

People Using Opiates Who Are Not in Treatment • How can we identify individuals using opiates who are not currently in treatment? • How can we effectively engage with these individuals to encourage them to seek treatment? • What strategies will help retain individuals in treatment programs or stay in treatment?

Continuity of Care: Transitioning from Prison to Drug & Alcohol Services • What factors increase the likelihood of individuals engaging with drug and alcohol treatment after leaving prison? • How can services better collaborate to support these individuals? • How can lived experience workers enhance continuity of care in this context? • What can we learn to improve our practices and understand the challenges faced by individuals with criminal backgrounds regarding drug use, treatment access, and sustaining recovery?

Co-occurring Conditions: Mental Health & Substance Use (Dual Diagnosis) • What are the barriers and experiences of those living with dual diagnosis? (Including those who have accessed support and those who haven't) • What worked well, what didn't, and what additional support is needed? • How can services better collaborate to support these individuals? • Why do some individuals not access services?

We aim to capture the views from the following specific cohorts: • People who have been through treatment • People who are not currently in treatment but are using substances (e.g., rough sleepers, prisoners, supported housing users, A&E attendees) • People currently accessing services • Affected others • Frontline workers

To gather this information, a combination of interviews and focus groups (or group discussion) is expected. The expected outcome/output is a report with robust recommendation to inform the next stage of this initiative.

Proposed Contract Start Date: January 2025

We would welcome your input to our Market Engagement Exercise by asking you to complete a provider questionnaire, this will help us further understand the market capabilities. https://forms.office.com/e/7frqaLmKkt

Please respond to the questionnaire by 30th of September 2024

This request does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services.