Advocacy Services for the Vale of Glamorgan and The City and County of Cardiff

Descriptions

The Social Services and Wellbeing Act 2014 has introduced new duties on Local Authorities for the provision of Advocacy services for people using a range of health and social care services.The City of Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council are currently working together to review existing arrangements for Advocacy services whilst developing a strategy for the future provision of Advocacy services that will meet the new requirements of the Act.It is expected that a new contractual relationship between The City of Cardiff Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council and Advocacy Providers will be implemented during 2016, following the development of Service Specifications in line with the requirements of the Act.As a result of this, the current Letter of Understanding/Contract the Councils have in place with relevant organisations will be terminated during 2016. Future commissioning arrangements will be made in due course.In brief, the Act requires that local authorities ensure that Advocacy Services are appropriately advertised and accessible. The Act also requires that advocacy is provided to support people;•When complaints about privately arranged or funded palliative care•When making complaints about Social Services•Through assessments and in meeting their needs for care and support•To access Preventative Services and Information, Assistance and Advice Services•To articulate their wishes on how their care and support needs should be met•When moving placement or into a placement•Who are privately funding their own care home placementThe list provided above is representative of the Advocacy requirements and is not exhaustive. It is likely to change as Welsh Government amend regulations on Advocacy Services as the Act is implemented.As part of the review of existing services and the development of a revised service specification, Cardiff Council and Vale of Glamorgan Council are entering into a consultation with Advocacy providers through a workshop event which is the subject of this notice.We would welcome your input into the consultation and look forward to new working relationships with Advocacy providers as the Social Services and Wellbeing Act is implemented.The Workshop will be on Thursday 25th February 2016 between 10am to 13:00pm.It will be held at:Business Service Centre,The Innovation QuarterHood roadThe WaterfrontBarryVale of GlamorganCF62 5QN.To register your interest in attending the event, please email Simon Thomas at Sthomas@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk.Please note that unfortunately we can only accommodate a maximum of two people per organisation at this time.The Council would be grateful if you could contact us no later than 5pm on 12th February 2016. Please include in your email a brief overview of your organisation and your experience or interest in the provision of Advocacy Services.An overview of the Act and its expectations is attached to this notice.The financial information the current Advocacy service provision across the two Authorities is as follows:The Vale of Glamorgan:Expenditure per annum is approx. £128kThe City and County of Cardiff:Expenditure per annum is approx. £385kNOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=39195.