Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
North Ayrshire Council
Cunninghame House, Friars Croft, Irvine KA12 8EE
Irvine
KA12 8EE
Contact
Andrew Kerr
Andrewkerr@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 1294324208
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM93 - East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00337
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NAC-5145 - Independent Advocacy Service for Children and Adults
Reference number
NAC-5145
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
North Ayrshire Council (“NAC”) on behalf of North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP) are looking to notify the market of a future tender opportunity to provide an independent advocacy service. The commissioned service is aligned to the Partnership’s ‘Empowering Inclusion’ Independent Advocacy Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025).
The North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership recognises the importance of advocacy in:
Empowering people to express their own needs and make their own decisions
Enabling people to access information, explore options and make informed decisions
Providing a voice for people who are unable to speak or who do not use speech as a form of communication
Ensuring a safeguard for vulnerable people
Priority will be given to those individuals for whom the Partnership has a statutory duty to provide access to an independent advocacy service and for whom Scottish Government policy, guidance and standards gives precedence.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,547,156
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - The provision of an independent advocacy service for children and young people.
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM93 - East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland
- UKM63 - Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Arran & Cumbrae and Argyll & Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1
Service Users
The advocacy service will make provision to offer advocacy for children and young people with a focus on the following:
Residential Care, Foster Care and Kinship Care
Children and young people with additional support needs (this includes autism; ADHD; Learning Disabilities, mental health issues and Physical disabiliites such as sensory impairment etc.
Looked after at home
Children on the child protection register
Those children and young people receiving a service within the scope to the Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003.
Adolescents receiving a service withn Foxgrove the Medium Secure Residential Unit within the grounds of Ayrshire Central Hospital.
Children/Young People in receipt of neurological developmental assessments conducted by or arranged by NHS Ayrshire and Arran Children and Young People’s Metal Health Services (CAMHS).
Service Delivery
The Service will be delivered in an easily accessible and appropriate venue which is suitable for the child or young person; this will include within the home, in hospital, residential settings and other locations as appropriate.
Outcomes
Independent children’s advocacy should follow an Outcome model using an outcome approach based on the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC).
The child or young person will chose and agree an achievable number of options from the GIRFEC well being indicators: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included.
two.2.14) Additional information
NAC welcomes expressions of interest from service providers, by completing the questionnaire attached and returning to Andrewkerr@north-ayrshire.gov.uk before close of business Friday, 31st March 2023
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - The provision of an independent advocacy service to adults 16 years and over.
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM93 - East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland
- UKM63 - Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Arran & Cumbrae and Argyll & Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Service Users
The advocacy service will make provision to offer advocacy for adults over 16 years with a focus on the following:
Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 and 2015 (the 2003 Act covers people who have a mental health issue, learning disability, autism or dementia). This will include assisting those individuals who require support at Mental Health Tribunals
Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016
In receipt of social care. The Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland Report, 2021. Recommendation 8 states “more independent advocacy and brokerage services, including peer services, must be made available to people to ensure that their voices are heard, and help prepare for participation in planning and organising their support.”
The Scottish Governments Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards for Scotland. Standard 8: “All people have access to independent advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs”.
Older people, that is aged 65 and over.
Service Availability
The Service will be delivered in an easily accessible and appropriate venue which is suitable for the adult; this will include within the home, in hospital, residential settings and other locations as appropriate.
The Service will be delivered to those who are residents of North Ayrshire and those who are temporarily residing in North Ayrshire and therefore include those out of area inpatients in Woodland View low secure and residential rehabilitation wards.
Outcomes
The provider’s will ensure that they can deliver and demonstrate the following service outcomes.
National Outcome (1) – Independent advocacy supports people to be better informed about their rights, as well as understanding their needs and wishes and the choices they have. It increases their agency and power to choose their own actions freely, as much as possible.
National Outcome (2) – Independent advocacy supports people to recognise, understand and challenge power imbalances that influence their lives. It enables them to challenge these imbalances, to try and realise their rights, needs, and wishes. When someone is unable to take personal action, their advocacy worker will ensure that their rights are upheld.
National Outcome (3) – Independent advocacy supports people to know that their voices have been heard and their needs and wishes understood.
Individual outcomes will include:-
People have a greater awareness, and understanding, of advocacy
People are more involved in decision making processes that affect their lives.
People have increased choice and control regarding their care arrangements
People are more able to advocate for themselves
People are more aware of, and able to access, their rights and entitlements.
People who use the service are involved in shaping the service and central to the development of a Quality Assurance Framework which is used to obtain stakeholder experiences of advocacy.
Services for both lots will also include:-
Parents of children subject to child protection procedures
People who face a disadvantage on the basis of protected characteristics i.e. ethnicity; disability; religion; age,gender; sexual orientation therefore those people from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities (LGBTQ)
Victims of domestic abuse (both male and female)
two.2.14) Additional information
NAC welcomes expressions of interest from service providers, by completing the questionnaire attached and returning to Andrewkerr@north-ayrshire.gov.uk before close of business Friday, 31st March 2023
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 June 2023
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=725126.
(SC Ref:725126)