Support and Guidance for Advocacy Providers

Keeping you up to date with Government Guidance and legislation

We are working with colleagues across the sector to make sure our news pages contain factually accurate and supportive information. We will do our best to keep the news pages of the QPM and NDTi websites updated and aim to have more comprehensive information up and available to you all within the next weeks. In the meantime, here is some key information:

• Government Advice for Social Distancing and for Vulnerable People
• As part of the Coronavirus Act 2020, there have been some easements to the Care Act which are detailed in the Government Guidance document for Local Authorities
• DHSC guidance on Covid19/ MCA/ DoLS is expected shortly. We will share this as soon as we are able. You may find Alex Ruck-Keene’s blog on the MCA useful in the meantime (also this one and this one on MCA and Public Health published since).
• The Government have released a helpful statement around supporting people with disabilities throughout the Cornona Virus outbreak

Sharing resources and Top Tips

We are all needing to adjust to working differently and in line with Government Guidance. We’ve seen and heard some wonderful guidance and top tips for delivering advocacy services in safe, creative, socially distant and person-centred ways and will share some of these in the days to come. We know some organisations are working entirely remotely and others are continuing to undertake face to face visits where it is a) urgent and critical and b) safe. Please do let us know of any solutions you’ve identified so we can share these with others.

For now, here are a few resources:

1. www.voiceability.org/news/coronavirus-resources-for-advocacy
2. People First in Cumbria have developed a Coronavirus Independent Advocacy Toolkit and Enhanced Coronavirus Risk Assessment. If anyone would like a copy of what’s been produced, please email advocacy@ndti.org.uk and we will be able to share these with you.
3. The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have developed a helpful resource for UK Healthcare Professionals in relation to COVID-19 and pregnancy.
4. Rethink Mental Illness have an extensive range of information and advice regarding COVID-19 on their website, including temporary changes to the Mental Health Act
5. SCIE’s advice regarding Coronavirus and Social Care can be found here
6. Government Guidance re Mental Health and Wellbeing can be found here
7. Mind’s Guidance on Wellbeing during the outbreak can be found here
8. You can find NDTi’s response to COVID-19 here

You may know that Kate Mercer is hosting a special webinar on Monday 6th April; Coronavirus Act and Advocacy. The recording of this will be made freely available and we will share the link to this once it’s live. The webinar will look at how Independent Advocacy can respond to the Coronavirus pandemic and how it can best operate in these unprecedented times. Steve Broach, barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, and leading commentator on human rights will take us through an overview of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and explain the impact of this astonishing piece of legislation on adult health and social care. Steve will then explore what might constitute a breach of a person's human rights and offer guidance on when decisions to cut packages of care could be challenged. Kate will then look at advocacy specific issues - such as how discharge planning and other decision-making processes for people who lack capacity is likely to be affected during the crisis.

Keeping in touch and supporting each other

We know lots of you are adjusting to working from home and hope that you are finding ways of keeping in touch and supporting each other. It’s so important that as a community we support each other and we’d therefore like to invite you to join us on Zoom for a cuppa and an informal, facilitated conversation, in a safe place, to share both your issues and the creative ideas you’re applying as well as simply just chatting on line with your peers. We will then look to run a second session building on the themes shared. The session will run from 11.00-11.40 am on Thursday 9th April. If you’d like to join us, please let us know by emailing advocacy@ndti.org.uk.

Please also let us know what else we can do and share with you that would be of use!

QPM Assessments

We know a number of you are at varying stages of your QPM journey and that the current situation is impacting on each organisation differently. Some of you are letting us know that you have a bit more capacity and want to focus on moving forward with your assessment and others are needing some additional time while contingency plans are developed and implemented. Rest assured we will be as supportive and flexible as we can be with your assessment.

The health and wellbeing of our people, our QPM organisations and our communities is our top priority. We are supporting all of our staff to work from home during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes our QPM business support team and all of our QPM assessors. You can still contact the usual number, 01225 255 268 for information or support and the usual email address, support@qualityadvocacy.org.uk is checked daily.

We are able to continue to undertake desktop assessments as all QPM assessors are home based and review your submission remotely. If you have a desktop assessment that is due in and need an additional extension, please do contact Becca on support@qualityadvocacy.org.uk so that we can plan with you and your assigned assessor.

If you have a site visit coming up we are able to discuss different options with you regarding how and when this can take place – again do keep in touch so we can understand your needs and support you accordingly. In some instance a ‘remote’ site visit will be possible.

If you’re award is due to expire and you are concerned about a lapse in accreditation, please do contact us via support@qualityadvocacy.org.uk and we will be able to discuss this with you.