Adult Statutory Advocacy Services

Telford & Wrekin Council is seeking a Provider to support the Council to fulfil its duty with regard to the provision of non-instructed advocacy. The service is for eligible people aged 16+ who have been judged to have substantial difficulty or lack the capacity to engage with processes relating to their care, health and support services, or in deprivation of liberty situations, and do not have an appropriate individual (i.e. family member) to represent them. The ultimate goal of the service is to encourage empowerment in order that Individuals rights are secured, help them to make choices, promote the individual's well-being and ensure that their wishes are taken fully into account. In so doing, the service will promote social inclusion, equality and social justice. The tender brings together several Independent Advocacy requirements into a single contract to cover the following: • Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and Relevant Individual's Representative (RPR); • Care Act Independent Advocacy and • Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service Note: Advocacy under the Independent Mental Health Act (IMHA) is not included as this is commissioned jointly with Shropshire County Council. The benefits of this approach include: • A single contact point with one telephone number to enable ease of access to the service. • Ensures a knowledgeable individual answers the telephone and deals with queries efficiently. • A consistent service with streamlined processes. • The opportunity to have the same advocate where more than one type of advocacy provision is required. • To reduce duplication and improve service delivery. A single Provider, or consortium of Providers may tender for this service but must operate a uniform and consistent service delivery process as well as offer economies of scale. The Service Provider will be required to operate the service within an environment where new legislation, Court judgements and new processes will impact on service delivery. The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) is to be introduced during the operation of this service, and the Provider will implement new working practices and workforce development as necessary to meet the requirements.