Agenda item - Commissioning of an Integrated Advocacy Hub

RESOLVED:

1          That the Board grants delegated authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care to carry out the procurement and award of a contract for an Integrated Advocacy Service with a term of four years.

2          That the Board delegates authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care to extend the contract at the end of the four year term with the potential to extend the contract a further two years if it’s deemed appropriate and subject to budget being available.

11.1    Officers introduced the report which requested delegated authority to commission an Integrated Advocacy Hub. Advocacy services had been jointly commissioned with East and West Sussex for the last four years.

11.2    In response to Councillor Page, Officers stated that the co-location of advocates and service providers was something that had worked well with the placement of mental health advocates in Mill View. The advocates would still be independent of the service but it had been found that co-location had increased referral rates.

11.3    In response to Councillor Page, Officers stated that the decision to not commission a specific older people advocacy followed consultation with older people who felt that they needed advocacy for specific issues but not general advocacy related to their age.

11.4    Chris Clark stated that the £50,000 which had been withdrawn from the navigator role had been reallocated within the service area and was not an overall saving.

11.5    David Liley stated that he hoped the specification for health complaints advocacy included working with Healthwatch. He added that Healthwatch looked forwarded to working with the new advocacy system.

11.6    RESOLVED:

1          That the Board grants delegated authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care to carry out the procurement and award of a contract for an Integrated Advocacy Service with a term of four years.

2          That the Board delegates authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care to extend the contract at the end of the four year term with the potential to extend the contract a further two years if it’s deemed appropriate and subject to budget being available.