1. Advocacy Commissioning Intentions Wallasey Town Hall 22/12/2015

2. 2015/16 Commissioning Priorities
Advocacy
Support at Home
Community Based Support
Learning Disability & Complex
Carers
Joint Commission

3. Advocacy Current position
General Advocacy Contract, including peer advocacy (expiring 31st March 2016) - DASS
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (expiring 31st March 2016) - DASS
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (expiring 31st May 2016) - DASS
Hospital Advocacy Service (expired 31st March 2016) - CCG

4. In this Commission Advocacy Hub Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy
A legal safeguard for people who lack the capacity to make specific important decisions, and where there is there is no one independent of services, such as a family member or friend, who is able to represent the person. Involvement can include:
Decisions for Serious Medical Treatment
Accommodation decisions and care reviews
Involvement in Safeguarding Adults
Relevant Person’s Representative
Independent Mental Health Advocacy
A statutory right for people detained under most sections of the Mental Health Act, subject to Guardianship or on a community treatment order (CTO). Support can be given to/for:
Help someone to get their opinions heard and make sure they know their rights under the law,
Detention under the Mental Health Act (even if currently on leave of absence from hospital), excludes sections 4, 5(2), 5(4), 135 or 136
A conditionally discharged restricted patient
Subject to Guardianship under the Act, or
Receiving Supervised Community Treatment (SCT)

5. In this Commission (Cont)
Care Act Advocacy
The Local Authority must consider whether a person would have ‘substantial difficulty’ in any one of the following areas:
Understanding relevant information
Retaining that information
Using or weighing that information as part of the process of being involved
Communicating the individual’s views, wishes or feelings
Peer Advocacy
The advocate and the advocacy partner share similar experiences or environments. For example between those experiencing mental ill health and those with a learning disability.
This is often like citizen advocacy with both partners having for example a learning disability and is mostly of an informal nature.
Self-Advocacy
People coming together to speak up for themselves.
Self advocacy groups are a good way of encouraging this. They are run by people with disabilities who sometimes have supporters.
Self advocacy groups are often groups of people who use services or have the same interests locally.
They are a very good way for people to support each other and they can help to build confidence so that people feel more able to speak up for themselves.

6. Challenges Cheshire West & Chester judgement
Additional responsibility /burden through the Care Act
Reduced budgets

7. Opportunities Consortia / partnership bids
Efficiency from providers delivering more than one service
Social value / connection to Wirral

8. Future Plans To provide advocacy in Wirral within an ‘Advocacy Hub’.
Joint commission with the CCG
Integrated Commissioning
Liverpool City Region

9. Proposed Timescales Advocacy
8th February Tender opportunity posted on The Chest
8th March Return of completed tenders
w/c 14th March Tender analysis
w/c 28th March Interviews
w/c 18th April Notify successful / unsuccessful providers
1st July Contract start
30th June Contract end
January Re-view/re-commission Advocacy service

10. The Chest E-tendering Portal All tender documentation available here
All questions are queries to be raised here
FAQ available here
Technical Queries via Due North on or

11. Important Aspects Procurement Process
Download all relevant documents
Read the ‘Scope and Specification’ first
Read all supporting documents
Attach your tender document and submit
Keep checking The Chest for any new questions raised by other providers
DO NOT contact Council Officer directly
A late submission or a submission with any missing or incomplete information cannot be accepted after the closing date and time has elapsed.

12. Your thoughts Other solutions / ideas / opportunities?
What might we have missed?
Realistic timescales?