Children's Advocacy

Tender description

Access to independent advocacy for Children up to 18 years. Access to independent advocacy is recognised as contributing to health policy goals such as health improvement, equity and involving individuals as partners in a mutual NHS. (Better Health, Better Care: An Action Plan (2007). The Board also has a statutory responsibility, principally under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, to provide access to independent advocacy for specific groups of people. In addition to the legislative requirement to provide access to independent advocacy for these groups, recent policy for health and welfare in Scotland views patients and the public as partners in a mutual NHS. “Better Health, Better Care: An Action Plan (2007)” commits Health Boards to treating patients and the public as partners in their care and access to independent advocacy can ensure that all individuals and groups can engage in this process. Independent advocacy ensures equality of access to services particularly for those groups which may otherwise be excluded. This tender seeks to ensure the ability of service users to be able to influence services and to be adequately supported to do so. This specification reflects the core areas of the Advocacy service to be delivered by the successful supplier during the contract term. The service should be delivered in line with the four over-riding principles of Independent Advocacy as follows: -Independent Advocacy puts the people who use it first. -Independent Advocacy is accountable. -Independent Advocacy is as free as it can be from conflicts of interest. -Independent Advocacy is accessible. The successful supplier will provide a service for children up to the age of 18 years at the following locations: -The West of Scotland Adolescent Inpatient Unit -Unit The Child Inpatient -Occasional work in NHSGGC Community if a young person is discharged on a Community Treatment Order (CTO)