North Northamptonshire Council invests £5million into the provision of high-quality treatment and recovery services for drugs and alcohol

15 October 2025

North Northamptonshire Council has awarded £5million, giving residents access to local, tailored and up to date recovery and addiction services across the area over the coming years.

In line with due process and Government regulations, the council invited tender responses in August 2025 for the Provision of Drug & Alcohol Services. On behalf of residents, the council sought provider/s who could deliver a recovery focused treatment system for both young people and adults for the next nine years.

The intention is to reshape the current provision into a whole-systems, integrated drug and alcohol system of care. This means anyone affected by problem alcohol and drug use can access the right tailored support at the right time.

Change Grow Live has been awarded the contract to deliver services to adults and Aquarius to young people. Both contracts were awarded via an Open Process, subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. They will both start on 1 April 2026.

The council believes our residents deserve high-quality services that support their health and wellbeing with professionals who are as invested in their wellbeing as we are.

In a nutshell, we want more people to be able to access local tailored, up to date recovery and addiction services and we are confident that Change Grow Live and Aquarius have outstanding track records in working in this area and will continue to do so.

Our main goal is to increase the number of people able to achieve sustained recovery from dependence, on drugs and alcohol, by providing individualised support and care to reduce the very serious harms caused by addiction and dependence."

The focus of any transition of service is to support service users during the transition and minimise any risk. We will work closely with incumbent and incoming providers to ensure minimal impact to service users. We will also continue to listen to the voices of current service users to inform the ongoing development of the new service model.Cllr Brian Benneyworth, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Health and Leisure

At Change Grow Live, we know that recovery doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens in connection, in community, and through trust.

That’s why we’re so proud to be working with North Northamptonshire Council, Aquarius, Family Support Link, Forward Trust, and Release to build a service that truly reflects the lives and needs of local people.

This isn’t just about delivering treatment it’s about listening, learning, and walking alongside people as they take steps toward change.

With this new contract, we have a real opportunity to co-create something bold and inclusive, rooted in our community and shaped by the voices of those we support.

Together, we’ll help more residents find hope, dignity, and the strength to thrive.

Alesha Watkins, Partnership Development Manager at Change Grow Live

Here at Ngage with Aquarius we provide support to children, young people, and young adults to make positive choices around drug and alcohol use ensuring the right support is given at the right time in safe and youth friendly places. Our focus remains and will continue to remain the people receiving support from us and ensuring they are not impacted by any of the forthcoming changes.

We are looking forward to working with North Northamptonshire Council and partners to increase and embed our coproduced tailored services in April2026 ensuring our children, young people and young adults in North Northants thrive.

Zoe Church-Wood, Service Manager at Aquarius

North Northamptonshire Council is working closely with providers to support staff in existing roles at services, which will not be a part of the new model, to have the option to TUPE to the new services. (TUPE is an acronym for the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.)

The council has begun to work with the new and outgoing providers on a mobilisation plan from 01 October.