Issue details

Advocacy seeks to ensure that people, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, are able to:

·         Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them

·         Defend and safeguard their rights

·         Have their views and wishes genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives

Kent County Council Adult Services has a history of commissioning both statutory and non-statutory advocacy services. These services have been commissioned using both contracts and grants on an ad-hoc basis to meet specific local need, or to meet requirements of legislation for statutory advocacy. This range of services is currently being delivered via 17 different providers.  Services are not aligned or standardised and some client groups are under-represented and have fallen through the gaps between services.

Statutory advocacy provision is governed by legislation and is therefore reasonably well structured and managed.  The non-statutory provision, mainly grant funded, is a collection of different interpretations of advocacy and is therefore less clear cut in terms of what is delivered, by whom, and to what standard. 

New requirements under the Care Act 2015 and the ending of current NHS Complaints Advocacy Contract and Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) contract in April 2016 have provided us with the opportunity to revisit the current model and commission something different that works for people regardless of client categories and to ensure consistency of supply and quality.   We have worked closely with users of advocacy services, Advocacy providers and practitioners to design a new way to deliver advocacy services.

Financial Implications

By bringing together the current spend on Advocacy across grants and contracts, together with £482k of new money from the Care Act Grant, officers have identified a budget of up to £1.49m which could be used to re-commission Advocacy services. This spend is set out in Appendix 1.

There will be impact on a number of voluntary sector organisations where their activity will be decommissioned and their funding for advocacy delivery will be reallocated to the advocacy contract. These organisations are aware of this and have been involved in a range of co-production events and discussions with commissioners. 

Links to KCC’s Strategic Framework

Strategic Outcome: Older and vulnerable residents are safe and supported with choices to live independently

Particularly Supporting Outcomes:

• Those with long term conditions are supported to manage their conditions through access to good quality care and support
• People with mental health issues and dementia are assessed and treated earlier and are supported to live well
• Families and carers of vulnerable and older people have access to the advice, information and support they need
• Older and vulnerable residents feel socially included
• Residents have greater choice and control over the health and social care services they receive