Health services

Tender description

The new Mental Health Act 2007 made amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 (the Act) and introduced a statutory duty for Health Boards in Wales to commission an Independent Mental Health Advocacy for qualifying patients under compulsion of the Act in hospital. The Mental Health (Wales) Measures 2010 (Part 4) further amended the Act to extend the Independent Mental Health Advocacy Service to include informal patients and those qualifying patients under Section 4, 5(2) and 5 (4) and community treatment orders and guardianship. The Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 (‘the Measure’) included provisions which amend the 1983 Act, so as to expand the scope of the independent mental health advocacy scheme in Wales. The scope of the scheme now includes individuals detained in hospital under certain ‘short-term’ sections of the 1983 Act, and those in inpatient settings in Wales receiving assessment or treatment for mental ill-health on a voluntary or informal basis. The Measure also amended the 1983 Act to provide a form of independent mental health advocacy in Wales which is broader in scope — the range of help and support that an independent mental health advocacy in Wales can provide is wider than originally set out in the legislation. The purpose of the service will be to provide the Independent Mental Health Advocacy service as required by the Mental Health Act 1983 Act as amended by the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 — Part 4. The expanded independent mental health advocacy scheme will provide help and support to all qualifying patients, irrespective of age or diagnosis, in relation to the care and treatment they receive for their mental disorder. Powys Teaching Health Board are inviting suitably qualified organisations to express an interest for provision of an Independent Mental Health Advocacy Service (IMHA). The purpose of the IMHA service is to provide assistance to qualifying patients to ensure that they understand the legal procedures of the Act and the rights and safeguards to which they are entitled. This may include assistance in obtaining information about any of the following: — The patient's rights under the Act; — The provision of the Act under which the patient qualifies for an IMHA; — Any conditions or restrictions to which the patient is subject; — The medical treatment the patient is receiving, or which is being proposed or discussed, and the reasons for this; — The legal authority for providing such treatment; — The requirements of the Act which apply in relation to treatment. The IMHA will: — Ensure that the voice of the patient is heard by supporting the patient to articulate their views and to engage with the multi-disciplinary team; — Support qualifying patients to access information, and to understand better what is currently happening and what is being planned, and to understand better the options available to them; — Support qualifying patients in exploring options, making better-informed decisions and in engaging with the development of their care plans; — Support the patient to ensure that they are valued for who they are; — Support the patient to counteract any actual or potential discrimination.