The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

A MAP OF INDEPENDENT ADVOCACY ACROSS SCOTLAND

GRAMPIAN ADVOCACY

NHS GRAMPIAN

There are three local authorities within Grampian NHS Board area:
Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Moray Council

Advocacy Planning Process

In Grampian the co-ordination and planning of advocacy is undertaken by the Advocacy Development Group, made up of the Managers of each of the three advocacy agencies: the lead commissioner from NHS Grampian, and representatives from Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council. There is no representative from Moray Council, or from any of the local user groups. Both of these issues need to be addressed.

Advocacy Organisations in Grampian

Project details

• Independent
• Professional; volunteer, collective and self-advocacy
• Generic (18 years and over)
• Aberdeenshire local authority area

Project details

• Independent
• Professional and volunteer advocacy and support to self advocacy groups
• Generic (For people over 16 years old)
• Aberdeen city have requested an ASA evaluation, date to be confirmed

Project details

• Independent
• Professional and volunteer Advocacy
• Generic (16 years and over)
• Moray District

Total Local Statutory Funding for Grampian Advocacy in 2003/4

Gaps in Independent Advocacy

• Older people, including people with dementia
• People with physical disabilities and acute health needs
• Children and young people
• Homeless people and people affected by addictions
• Carers
• Insufficient collective advocacy, for people with learning disabilities and

mental health service users

Priorities for Development

• Consolidation of existing services with additional funds
• Funding contracts to be allocated on a 3-year rolling basis
• Further development of collective advocacy in mental health to include advocacy for inpatients and outpatients at Royal Cornhill Hospital
• Advocacy Implementation group to consult more widely with users and their constituent forums and involve them as key stakeholders in the planning process
• Housing and Education Departments to be included in ongoing advocacy planning process
• Strategy of education and awareness raising for all statutory service provider staff
• Improve structure links with all decision making groups, funding streams and policy agenda in Grampian
• Ongoing investment in independent evaluation

Conclusions

In spite of the commitment and concerted efforts of members of the Grampian Independent Advocacy Implementation Group to raise the profile of independent advocacy among the statutory funding partners in Grampian, investment is still inadequate to meet the need. Since the last 3 year Advocacy Plan, there has been no resource increase by NHS Grampian to address this need, in spite of the recent developments in policy and legislation.

It will be important that there is ongoing prioritisation of independent advocacy provision, even within constrained budgets, where leverage should be built in through resource transfer and the creative use of funding streams.

Aside from this pressing matter, yet highly related to it, is the issue of the planning process itself. There has been no consistent programme of consultation with those who are likely to use advocacy services in Grampian and they remain excluded from the planning group. There is also a concern about the lack of time and structured opportunity for the advocacy providers to network and share information and support. There are however plans to support a Grampian Advocacy Forum and to use the model developed in Moray to support three user groups, which will feed into the Grampian Implementation Group.

« Previous | Contents | Next »