2021-0233 Islington & Camden Integrated Advocacy Service

<p>Islington Council and Camden Council invite suitable tenders from suppliers for the Integrated Advocacy Service to commence on 01 October 2022. The London Boroughs of Camden and Islington are proposing to recommission their respective advocacy services, currently known as the &lsquo;Camden Advocacy Service&rsquo; in Camden and the &lsquo;Single Advocacy Service&rsquo; in Islington. The aim is to procure one advocacy service for both boroughs, delivered through a single advocacy pathway. Islington and Camden are committed to work closely in partnership with the service throughout its contract lifetime to analyse and manage demand for statutory and non-statutory advocacy. The service will also develop relationships and work in partnership with the wider system of support services in Islington and Camden. It is the intention that through this contract Islington and Camden will meet their respective statutory duties around the provision of independent advocacy services, ensuring that appropriately qualified advocates are available to work in these roles. In addition, Islington and Camden intend to continue to provide non-statutory advocacy; for more information on each borough&rsquo;s respective expectations of this function, see the tender documentation. The service will also ensure that local, specialist, providers continue to have a role in the provision of advocacy services and help us maintain and develop a vibrant mixed economy of support services in Islington and Camden. Background The Integrated Advocacy Service will bring together statutory and non-statutory advocacy currently delivered separately in Islington and Camden: &bull; Statutory Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) &bull; Statutory Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) &bull; Statutory Independent Care Act Advocacy (ICAA) &bull; Statutory Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards &ndash; Paid Relevant Persons Representatives (DOLS RPRs), including Out Of Borough DOLS (OOB DOLS) &bull; Rule 1.2 Representative &bull; Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy &bull; Liberty Protection Safeguards* &bull; Non-Statutory Advocacy *The Service will be supported by Islington and Camden in implementing its statutory duties relating to Liberty Protection Safeguards upon its wider implementation. The Service will bring together this provision through a single access route improving the accessibility of the service and providing better continuity of advocacy for service users whilst still seeking to retain access to distinct local advocacy offers. Advocacy helps people who may not be able to, or find it difficult, to communicate their views, wishes and needs to professionals such as social workers, doctors, nurses and other professionals. Advocates assist service users by standing up for the rights of individuals and ensuring their best interests are at the heart of every decision made about them. Advocates should be independent of the Council and local NHS and able to represent the views and wishes of service users without judgement or bias. Wherever possible advocates should support and empower service users to communicate their views and wishes but for some service users advocates will need to be able to speak on their behalf. Although the focus of the service is supporting adult service users and carers, some young people will also be eligible to receive support from the service where this is statutorily applicable. The requirement Islington and Camden are seeking to provide an Integrated Advocacy Service [the Service] across their respective boroughs. This Service covers a number of statutory advocacy functions including Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Relevant Person&rsquo;s Representatives, Independent Mental Health Advocacy, Independent Care Act Advocacy, Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy and Liberty Protection Safeguards. Additionally we are seeking to provide a non-statutory advocacy service to extend the provision of representative advocacy our boroughs to other service users and carers who could benefit from it, and to offer people a greater range of advocacy services than those included as statutory functions. See tender documentation for an outline of our expectations to this end. Aims and Objectives The Service will support Islington and Camden in meeting their aims and objectives in ensuring that service users and carers are involved in decisions about their care and support. Islington and Camden aim to ensure that service users and carers understand how they can be involved, contribute, take part, and in some cases lead or direct processes relating to their receipt of health and social under responsible bodies&rsquo; statutory obligations. The elements of the service that relate to the delivery of statutory duties will be delivered to the standards and outcomes set out in the National Quality Performance Mark (v4 as of August 2018) for Independent Advocacy http://www.qualityadvocacy.org.uk/ . The Service will ensure that people who are entitled to statutory advocacy receive this service in a timely manner and enjoy continuity of support wherever possible as their circumstances change. Service users who do not meet eligibility criteria for statutory advocacy but still require support from an advocate should, where possible, receive a robust and empowering non-statutory advocacy offer from this service, or be signposted to a service that can best meet their specific needs and preferences. When providing statutory advocacy under the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983 and Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Service will at all times act in accordance with the relevant statutory guidance. High Level Service Outcomes &bull; Service users and carers are supported to be as independent as possible through the delivery of advocacy services. &bull; Service users and carers will be empowered to participate in decisions about their care and treatment. &bull; Service users and carers who are unable to participate in decisions about their care or treatment still have their needs, views and wishes communicated to professionals making these decisions by the advocate. &bull; Service users and carers understand their rights and are supported to exercise these rights. &bull; Service users and carers entitled to statutory advocacy services are able to access advocacy regardless of any specific care and support needs they have. &bull; Enable service users and carers to receive continuity of support as their needs change and if in the care of the Council but resident elsewhere that they can continue to receive advocacy coordinated by the Service. &bull; Advocacy services are available to support people in a broad range of circumstances, beyond those specified in legislation where service users and carers would benefit from advocacy. &bull; Service users and carers receive better healthcare through the provision of health advocacy. &bull; More experienced and qualified advocates are trained and able to operate in the borough, including opportunities for people with lived experience to train as advocates. TUPE [Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations] Potential providers must be aware that TUPE may or may not apply to this service. Further details will be available in the invitation to tender. Contract Period The contract period will be for 48 months from an estimated start date 01/10/2022 with option to extend up to a further 24 months, and an additional option to extend by a further 12 months. Contract Value The contract is being advertised with a maximum annual value of &pound;834,000. This funding is split across Islington &amp; Camden. The maximum annual input from Islington is &pound;417,000, whereas the maximum annual input from Camden is &pound;417,000. The total estimated value over the maximum possible seven-year contract length is &pound;5,838,000. There is a maximum fixed budget for this service. Any bids over this amount will be disqualified. To note, commissioners in Islington and Camden anticipate that the demand for advocacy will increase over the contract period, particularly from the introduction of Liberty Protection Safeguards. If advocacy demand increases, the Councils may modify the contract to increase the contract&rsquo;s annual value to reflect the change in demand. This increase may be up to 100% of the contract value. Any such modification of the contract will be based on the cost of additional hours over and above the current maximum block contracted threshold for each borough as outlined by providers in their Tenders (see below). Award criteria The contract will be awarded to the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations. MEAT for this contract is quality 70% and cost 30 %. Tender submissions will be subject to minimum quality thresholds on each method statement question. Further details will be provided in the invitation to tender. Cost 30% Cost made up of: Cost for delivering guaranteed hours over the initial 4 year term &ndash; 25% Unit cost per hour for additional service hours over and above the maximum block contracted threshold of each borough &ndash; 5% Quality 70% Quality made up of: Service model &ndash; 30% Social Value &ndash; 20% Implementation &ndash; 10% Co-production* &ndash; 10% *To note, one 5% method statement question under the Co-production criterion has been prepared and will be evaluated by the panel alongside residents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from Islington and Camden. Total 100% Tenderers should be aware that we reserve the right to hold site visits and/or presentations and/or interviews during the tender process. Site visits and/or presentations and/or interviews will be for verification/clarification purposes of the written submission. We reserve the right to interview leading bidders. Procurement Process This contract will be procured using the Open Procedure. Those who submit a tender and meet the minimum requirements in a suitability questionnaire (SQ) will have their full tender, method statements and pricing evaluated. Late submissions will not be accepted.</p>