--- title: "PIN - Independent Advocacy Service" ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248.json" source: "Public Contracts Scotland" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL" published: "2022-09-23" --- # PIN - Independent Advocacy Service Buyer: SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248.json) ## Summary The Scottish Borders Council is planning a procurement process for the provision of an Independent Advocacy Service. The service aims to support adult users of health and social care services in the Scottish Borders. The procurement process is in the planning stage and involves a contract value of £970,000 GBP. The service will be available Monday-Friday during typical office hours, with a governance structure in place to manage service performance effectively. Providers interested in tendering should complete the attached questionnaire by the deadline of 23rd October 2022. This tender for an Independent Advocacy Service by the Scottish Borders Council presents an opportunity for businesses in the services category to engage with the local authorities to provide essential support to vulnerable groups. Businesses with expertise in healthcare, social care, advocacy services, and service delivery tailored to specific user groups, such as mental health, learning disabilities, and adult protection, would be well-suited to compete. The contract term is initially set for three years with a possibility to extend for at least a further 2 years, offering long-term growth potential for successful providers. ## Notice Independent advocacy is when people are supported to speak up for themselves by a person who is only there for them and has no ties to the other agencies or people in their lives. The Scottish Independent advocacy Alliance (SIAA) Code of Practice describes independent advocacy as a service that: - puts the people who use it first - is accountable - is as free as it can be from conflicts of interest - is accessible ### Lot Information Lot 1 The Independent Advocacy Stakeholder Group intends to procure a provider that will deliver a high quality independent advocacy service for adult users of health and social care services in the Scottish Borders. The service should offer support for multiple service user groups including: Older people; Mental Health; Learning Disabilities; people with autism; generic health; Alcohol & Drug services; and Adult Protection; parents with these issues. The service will also be accessible to other users of health and social care services including the homeless, asylum seekers, offenders, carers. Support should be prioritised around the Mental Health Act, Adults with Incapacity, and Adult Protection. The independent advocacy service should aim to improve the quality of life of those seeking support as a result of increased knowledge, understanding and active involvement in their care. The number of clients annually has ranged from 250 - 300 over the last 5 years. Staff will normally see clients in community or care settings, although there will be flexibility including the use of telephone support and technology such as 'Attend Anywhere'. Key outcomes include: - People have increased control regarding care arrangements - People have more choice in their care arrangements - People are more able to assert their rights in making change happen - Increased knowledge and understanding of Self Directed Support and Independent Advocacy to stakeholders. The service provided will be guided by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) Code of Practice. The service will help deliver on those outcomes by offering a range of person centred interventions including: - communicating with people referred for a service and their family, friends and carers where necessary and, with the agreement of those referred, establish the nature of the need which independent advocacy services will address -establishing the preferred approach, outcomes and options for action -supporting people to represent their own interests or speaking for them at formal meetings such as Mental Health Tribunals, appeals hearings, service meetings, and liaising with professionals - ensuring a quick response to supporting discharge for statutory referrals (AWI, MH Act & adult protection - duty type system) -providing support on specific issues -providing information but not advice - negotiating on the service user's behalf with service providers to address issues of concern -supporting people with a range of issues that can affect a person's life such as housing, benefits, access to services, medication and health issues - providing a hospital-based advocacy service to ensure a profile in the Borders General Hospital and the four Community Hospitals in the Scottish Borders. The service will also influence the wider system by: - developing lived experience involvement with the Independent Advocacy Stakeholder Group to inform and shape service development - promoting independent advocacy services amongst referring agencies and vulnerable groups that may benefit from independent advocacy support -enabling advocacy to support service reviews and support communication between Health & Social Care and client groups -working in partnership with other organisations as part of delivering on the Independent Advocacy Strategic Plan Anticipated Service Provision: The anticipated service will be available Monday-Friday during usual office hours. IT systems which can report adequate data for monitoring purposes. Governance structure in place that is effective in managing service performance and address issues with poor performance. The service will be closed on Christmas and New Year public holidays. The initial term of the contract is expected to be for three years with an option to extend for at least a further 2 years.. Providers wishing to express an interest should complete the attached questionnaire by the 23rd of October. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland | | Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP459839 | | Notice type | PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 23 Sep 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 16 Jan 2023 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £970,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL | | Locality | NEWTOWN ST BOSWELLS | | Post town | Galashiels | | Postcode | TD6 0SA | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM9 Southern Scotland | | ITL 3 | TLM91 Scottish Borders | | Local authority | Scottish Borders | | Electoral ward | Selkirkshire | | Westminster constituency | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | | Delivery location | TLM91 Scottish Borders | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85300000 - Social work and related services ## Release History - 23 Sep 2022 at 00:00 - Planning - PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP459839 ## Documents - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=SEP459839&idx=1 23rd September 2022 - Provider questionnaire. - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP459839 PIN - Independent Advocacy Service - Independent advocacy is when people are supported to speak up for themselves by a person who is only there for them and has no ties to the other agencies or people in their lives. The Scottish Independent advocacy Alliance (SIAA) Code of Practice describes independent advocacy as a service that: - puts the people who use it first - is accountable - is as free as it can be from conflicts of interest - is accessible ## Notice URLs - http:// - http://www.scotborders.gov.uk - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248 - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=707248 ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000707248.json.