Gateshead Advocacy Services

Gateshead Council is in the process of recommissioning a contract to deliver advocacy services. The current advocacy contract will expire on 30th September 2026. The proposed contract will include the following statutory, non-statutory and general elements: - Care Act - IMCA - RPR - IMHA - NHS Complaints - Rule 1.2 Representative Advocacy - General Advocacy. Following consideration of the service requirements and the needs of people who access advocacy, it is proposed that the advocacy contract is procured as a single contract rather than divided into lots. This approach is justified as many individuals require access to more than one type of advocacy during their journey (e.g., statutory advocacy, issue-based advocacy, and specialist advocacy). Delivering these through one provider enables cohesive support for individuals, including a consistent advocacy approach and smooth transitions between different advocacy types, ensuring timely and coordinated support.